Lucy Watson is such a passionate vegan- she's written a book about it, so we caught up with her to find out a little bit more.
Lucy Watson
Please tell us what we can expect from your new book Feed Me Vegan.
My book is a way to showcase that there’s vegan alternatives to everyone’s favourite meals, including those comfort meals we all love – Mac & Cheese, Cheeseburger and even a Chocolate Fudge Cake!
You became vegetarian from a very young age so why did you make the decision to ditch meat at this point in your life?
I moved to a working farm when I was 5, over the course of the first year I just grew a bond with all the animals, so growing up I learnt the meaning of what meat was and how it gets from farm to plate and I just didn’t really understand why it had to be eaten – something I really struggled with.
At what point did you know you had to go from being vegetarian to vegan?
I watched the documentary, Cowspiracy and everything changed. I’d never appreciated just how cruel the dairy industry and the egg industry are – and after really understanding that, it just didn’t make sense for me to continue to eat dairy – as an animal lover!
What is your favourite recipe to make from the book?
Too many to choose from! Probably The Chocolate Fudge Cake – it tastes exactly the same, if not better than any fudge cake I’ve had before I went vegan. But also the linguine and the Bolognese – pasta was something I thought I’d have to sacrifice, which I knew I’d really miss – but both are completely delicious.
What are your go to vegan beauty products?
I love the eye liner from Hourglass and the skincare range from Chantecaille – especially the rose moisturiser. For really good sun cream, I love Sunbum – it’s a really easy spray that’s free of chemicals!
What are your top tips for vegetarians looking to move towards veganism?
Don’t be put off by any negative feedback you hear – from my experience, it really isn’t that difficult, nor a big sacrifice like you might imagine. I’m hoping my book will help all those people who are looking to become vegans – that’s my primary reason for doing the book! Remember you aren’t sacrificing anything, and remember to keep enjoying your food!
What did you find the hardest thing to give up when you made the change?
It was definitely cheese! I ate it pretty much every day, in a lot of dishes! Sometimes I miss it, but it’s a food that isn’t particularly good for you, nor our digestive systems – so I feel a lot better now I don’t eat it! Plus, there are some amazing vegan alternatives – plenty of which I use in the book – the Mac & Cheese in particular!
You are a PETA ambassador and RSPCA campaigner- do you see yourself getting involved with any other animal focused charities in the future?
I work a lot with Humane Society International (HSI) who do a lot of work in Asia to help combat animal cruelty, for example to tackle the problem of illegal dog meat farms – I’d love to do more globally – working on the front line to tackle such horrendous animal cruelty.
You’ve recently launched your own set of vegan t-shirts- are there any other cruelty free products you would like to develop to help people live a more ethical life?
Yes, the t-shirt line is great and has endless opportunities! I’d love to do my own skincare range, but, in a similar vain to the book I’d also like to look into a food range specifically for vegans – helping people who are new to veganism or just want more choice! Plus, the range of vegan shoes is quite limited, so that’s something I know would be useful!
What is next for you?
Well, first things first I’m really excited about my book! I have a jewellery range coming in September, which I’m hugely excited about – but lots more to come!
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