Costa

[willsie01]

Costa advert, on an A board, for a vegan meal deal, spotted by my wife while out shopping. Picture shows toasted sandwich, crisps and a latte. Wonder what pm is in the coffee?

[Hidden]

I've heard the advert on the radio. I expect you'd be able to choose which plant milk you have as they are no longer charging extra for plant milks like other coffee places, the others need to catch up with this.

Well done to Costa.

[willsie01 in reply to Hidden]

I hope oat milk is available for the coffee.

I've tried almond, coconut & oat.

Oat is the only one that works for me.

I had given up coffee until I heard about it.

I offered to bring my own to my local Costa but they wouldn't let me because they couldn't accept control of the health and safety aspects.

At the time they only offered coconut milk in hot chocolate.

[Hidden in reply to willsie01]

I'm not sure if it is, I've just been on their website and it doesn't look like it from there, I know Starbucks use Oat Milk as well as other plant milks. Funnily enough I've just drunk my second cup of mocha made with Oat Milk and my tummy seems to feel a lot better on it so I think I'll start using Oat Milk. My coffee is homemade as I have a coffee machine.

I understand that they can't use your own milk because of possible cross contamination.

It may be worth writing to them about Oat Milk as I've heard although they take a while to get back to you they do listen.

[Agoodenough]

No costa don’t seem to do oat milk. Bit odd!

How are you feeling willsie01 as you seem to be sticking to your new plant based diet. Is it easier than you thought it might be? Ali 🙂🌱

[willsie01 in reply to Agoodenough]

I'm sticking to it but I'm not finding it easy to plan meals.

It's a bit ironic but before I became vegan, which I did for health reasons, I didn't realise their was certain things about a healthy diet that I knew little about. Even the things I knew, like 5 portions of fruit and veg a day, I didn't really make sure I followed. Now I've become more concerned to have a diet that has all the correct nutrients I'm finding it hard to manage. Finding the time to learn, plan and cook meals. As yet I'm not feeling the health benefits I hoped for.

I don't wish to stray from vegan topics here but just as a bit of context to help answer your question: I am 6 months on from a triple bypass and have thyroid issues. I think the meds I take may be hampering my absorption of important nutrients. I post about these issues in other HealthUnlocked forums.

[Agoodenough in reply to willsie01]

Ok well I think your comments on why you have become plant based are very valid and are welcome on this forum so please don’t feel you can’t mention it as it is your personal journey and why you’ve become plant based which is topical on here. I’m sorry and disappointed that you haven’t seen the results you were hoping for as yet. I think your meds are very likely to be a contributing factor. That said I am sure by following a plant based diet you are doing the best thing for your health.

If it helps on a typical week I would have some thing like the following:-

Breakfast

Porridge or toast with avocado and tahini, mushrooms or tomatoes on toast or my omelette I posted yesterday.

Lunch

Chickpea, mayo, caper, cucumber sandwich

Homemade soup, sometimes quite simple, passatta, onion garlic, cabbage.

Hummus and crackers with tomatoes.

Dinner all homemade

Vegetable Curry with dhal (prob twice a week)

Spaghetti Bolognaise (made with lots of mushrooms or lentils)

Mac n cheese (made with roasted squash)

Homemade pizza

Chilli

Tofu vegetable stir fry with peanut butter

Moroccan tagine with cous cous. (Basically a chickpea and vegetable stew with paprika).

Baked potato with black beans, avocado and raw onion drizzled with tahini

Here are just some ideas. I hope it helps. It really doesn’t have to take long and if you are short for time several of the above could be made in a slow cooker.

(I personally do not eat much fruit as I believe it is something that should be an occasional treat due to the natural occurring sugars).

I hope this helps, if I can help in anyway just ask or PM me.

Ali 🙂🌱