Sarah Philpott: The Occasional Vegan
With her new cookbook The Occasional Vegan out now, Mel Lynch speaks to self-described down-to-earth vegan Sarah Philpott about cooking, the dangers of clean eating and militant veganism.
With over 3.5 million people in the UK now identifying as vegan, and seven million of us having switched to a vegetarian diet, 2018 has revealed the nation’s plant-based tendencies. Upon turning 30, Sarah Philpott fancied shaking up her life, so took the plunge to switch to veganism practically overnight. However, for those curious to try veganism, she doesn’t suggest going cold turkey – cold cauliflower, if you will – as the only way to make the change.
“Take it easy and don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re doing it gradually; don’t think that you have to do it overnight. I know I did myself, but you could slowly introduce things like oat or soy milk instead of cow’s milk, or just start eating meat once a week and gradually reduce it.”
Whilst veganism is the latest trend to sweep our Instagram feeds, with ‘influencers’ practically foaming at the mouth over all things avocado, Philpott is adamant that it’s not just a fad. “I don’t think it will fade out, I think it’s a shift in behaviour. If anything, it will get more and more fashionable.”
The accessibility of vegan options in supermarkets and restaurants across south Wales is something she has noticed become steadily more prevalent. “There are vegan options in most independent places and there are some places that are solely vegan. There’s a lot of choice out there which there wasn’t a few years ago.”
Finding success through her blog, Vegging It, Philpott’s style of no-nonsense veganism has resonated with many in the community. Whilst acknowledging the existence of militant vegans, she is a huge advocate of the good the online vegan community does in terms of support and encouragement for those starting out. “Despite what people think, we are nice… we’re actually really welcoming, we’re not here to preach at you and we’re not going to judge you.”
To the continual eye-roll of vegans, the nutritional implications of the diet are often brought into discussion, “My mum was concerned that I wouldn’t get enough protein and iron,” recalls Philpott, of her experience ‘coming out’ as a full-time veg fiend to friends and family. “The only thing you can’t get from vegetables and nuts is B12, so I do take a supplement for that.” However, the image of uber-healthy greens for every meal isn’t entirely accurate. “It is possible as a vegan to be very unhealthy: you can just eat vegan junk food. Don’t get me wrong, I do eat vegan junk food, but I like to have a balance.”
Actively distancing herself from the ‘west London daddy’s girls’ vegan stereotype, Philpott rejects the notion that veganism has to be pricey. “I think it’s just knowing that stuff doesn’t have to be really expensive, like chia seeds or avocado on toast at a fancy café for brunch every day. It’s real food.” Buzzwords like ‘organic’, ‘probiotic’ and ‘clean eating’ go hand in hand with the fruitarian lifestyle, but she suggests these terms may be doing more harm than good.
“When I first went vegan the idea of clean eating was quite appealing for me, but it’s actually quite dangerous because it means that you can become quite fixated with what you eat. I don’t think that any food is good or bad or ‘clean’ or ‘unclean’.”
Philpott’s mantra for veganism is “Do what you can and do what suits your lifestyle, your budget and your body as well.” Her new vegan cookbook The Occasional Vegan stresses the importance of taking a balanced approach to eating, and it’s hard to argue with that.
The Occasional Vegan, out now. Price: £12.99. Info: www.serenbooks.com/productdisplay/occasional-vegan
photo Manon Houston