Nadiah is a 33-year-old residing in a charming town in East Sussex, just outside of Brighton, UK.
In 2017, Nadiah embarked on her vegetarian journey, a decision she had contemplated for a considerable period. As an ardent animal lover, she felt increasingly uncomfortable with the ethical implications of consuming animals and developed concerns about the environment.
Initially, Nadiah hesitated to go vegan, primarily due to her deep attachment to cheese. Being a self-proclaimed cheese addict, she even had a personalized cheeseboard and was fondly nicknamed “the mouse.” The notion of giving up cheese seemed unfathomable.
However, in 2019, Nadiah decided to participate in Veganuary, driven by her growing unease with the dairy and egg industries. While she anticipated challenges, especially concerning cheese, the experience proved surprisingly easier than expected, even for someone with a profound love for cheese. From that point on, Nadiah embraced veganism wholeheartedly, with no regrets, wishing she had made the transition earlier.
What fascinated Nadiah was the minimal longing she felt for cheese after the initial two weeks. Furthermore, despite previously disliking peanuts, she discovered an unexpected adoration for them upon becoming vegan. The intriguing science behind this newfound preference has piqued her curiosity.
Please tell us more about yourself
Hello! My name is Nadiah and I’m 33, living in a little Town in East Sussex, UK just outside of Brighton.
I’m of mixed heritage – my mum is Scottish and my dad is Palestinian. I live with my Fiancé and our rescue Cat, Tyson – and I spend most of my time running! I’m a member of Vegan Runners, an England Athletics affiliated running club and it’s brilliant! I also enjoy Hoop Dancing and Yoga, and have recently started Swimming, Spin, and Pilates. I was always that kid trying to forge notes to get out of PE in school, so to fall in love with such an active lifestyle has been quite a change for me – and it’s all powered by plants.
Share with us the factors that lead you to adopt a vegan lifestyle
I initially went Vegetarian in 2017 – it’s something I’d thought about doing for a very long time as I I’m a huge animal lover and was no longer comfortable with the ethics of eating animals, and also had growing environmental concerns. I considered going Vegan at that point, but honestly did not believe I could give up Cheese. I was a cheese addict! I had a cheeseboard with my name embossed on it! My nickname was the mouse. Surely, I could never give it up….Or, could I?
In 2019 I decided to have a go at Veganuary. I was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the dairy and egg industries, but my worries about missing cheese stuck in my mind. I figured I’d try it and see how I did for a month. I expected to struggle. In fact, it turned out to be so, so much easier than I expected, even for a cheese lover like me! I never looked back and have stayed fully vegan ever since. I only wish I’d done it sooner.
I think what I found interesting was how little I missed cheese – after the first two weeks I didn’t miss cheese at all. And despite being a lifelong hater of peanuts… I discovered upon going Vegan that I now absolutely adore them! I’d love to know the science behind that one.
What difficulties do you encounter when seeking vegan food options?
I’m quite lucky in living so close to Brighton, which is something of a vegan heaven. We have vegan health food, vegan burgers, vegan kebab, vegan pizza, vegan sushi…the list goes on! I never feel like I am missing out here.
Travelling sometimes I have however encountered obstacles – I went to a festival in Germany and survives on Hummus and Fries for three days as there really wasn’t much else there! I just had to make do – I think in the future I’d go prepared with snacks. Luckily I like both hummus and fries….!
Generally my friends are very accommodating and always look to find somewhere with options for me, which I do really appreciate.
What are your sentiments regarding being a vegan?
I really love being Vegan. I feel much more assured that I am doing the best I can for Animals and the Environment we share. it’s inspired me to think more about the products I buy, the journey food takes to get to my plate, and the choices I make environmentally too. As a result, I’ve started choosing more local, sustainable options also.
What approach would you use to encourage someone who is not yet vegan/vegetarian to give meatless food a try?
I’d tell them to give it a go! So many things are vegan these days and it’s easier than ever. As my story proves, even massive cheese addicts like myself can go fully vegan – and there are some really delicious Cashew cheeses on the market now that are delicious in their own right. I’d fully recommend Honestly Tasty for all your vegan cheese needs!
I’d tell them about all the lovely food I eat, even though I am vegan, and how much easier it is in today’s society. I’d remind them that by choosing meatless, they are having a positive impact on animal welfare and on the environment too!
Could you suggest some excellent vegan dining options or dishes?
Delicious as always
Musakhan
As I’ve mentioned, living in Brighton is an actual heaven for vegan Food. My favourite place to go for Vegan Fast Food has to be What The Pitta – Vegan Doner Kebabs. Yum!
Some of my other local favourites that are fully vegan/vegetarian include Purezza, Oowee Vegan and Terre a Terre. Other local places with Great Vegan Menus include Baby Bao at the Pond, Indian Summer, Curry Leaf Cafe and Casazul. There are so many others I have yet to visit, and so many others I could mention!
I also love cooking (and eating!). Going vegan actually only increased my love of cooking and I’ve found myself experimenting with all kinds of new ingredients and vegetables. I grew up eating a lot of Arabic Food and have been able to veganise some of my favourite Arabic & Palestinian recipes. Pictured below is Musakhan, which is traditionally red onions cooked with roast chicken on a flatbread. These days, I make it with all kinds of substitutes – vegan meat alternatives, cauliflower, and tofu. I’m really keen to try with Oyster Mushrooms too. The key is in the spices and seasonings, so no flavour loss there!
As per my new found love of Peanuts, here are some tasty Satay veggies with Rice
Below are some Jerk Oyster Mushroom Tacos with Mango & Avocado Salsa – the recipe is from one of my favourite recipe books – Vegan Eats by Rachel Ama
What are some common misunderstandings or false beliefs about vegans or vegetarians?
I think there is a stereotype of Vegans as weak and sickly, or as white, skinny folks. I like to try and change the perception of that and show that veganism really is for everyone no matter who you are! I think another really common misconception is that veganism is just a diet- I like to try and explain it by comparing it to a belief deeply held by the person I am talking to, for example someone who is very religious. I think it helps once people realise it’s a way of viewing the world rather than just a diet or fad.
I’m very loud about being vegan but I don’t like to shame others if they aren’t. Instead, I like to lead by being a positive example – showing how easy it can be to live a vegan life, whilst being active and eating great food. I really enjoy cooking vegan meals for my friends and family, and it always makes me smile when they tell me they “can’t believe it’s vegan!”. I think if you plant positive seeds in peoples’ minds, they are more likely to pick a meatless choice in the future, as they’ll associate it with positivity!
What advice would you give to someone who is starting to transition to a meatless diet?
Take it slow, and go at your pace. It doesn’t matter if you mess up at the start – you’ll get there! Think about your motivations for doing it when the times get tough and you’ll get through.
Don’t be afraid to ask other veggies and vegans for help. We love helping out people who are new to the meatless world!
I’d also advise them to veganise or substitute the meat from their favourite meals first, rather than trying to make new ones. It helps to keep a sense of familiarity – one of the first consciously meatless meals I made was a Thai Green Curry, because it was my favourite dish at the time. I just replaced the usual meat based protein with Tofu 🙂
In conclusion, do you have any final thoughts?
I didn’t go vegan for health reasons, but I’ve seen some definite health benefits. I have psoriasis, which is a rather unpleasant skin condition – this has almost completely disappeared since going vegan – the only times it’s made a reappearance have been when I’ve been ill with a cold or virus. I also had a lot of digestive issues – those are a thing of the past too.
Going vegan has been beneficial for me in so many ways, and negative in pretty much none.
Nadiah
💚🥑Vegan Food
💜🏃🏽♀️Running
💛💫Hooping
🏃🏽♀️🏅5k 27:10 | 10k 58:39 | HM 2:11:04 | M 4:48:54
🇵🇸 🏴 Palestinian Scottish Heritage
🎯 Loch Ness 2023
all images courtesy of Nadiah