Where to Eat in Melbourne - Vegan Brunch Ideas

【尋找墨爾本的⋯⋯ 美味素食早午餐！】

出發之前，已經有不少朋友告訴我澳洲是一個非常適合素食者旅遊的國家。第一站的墨爾本，是個著名的 “Brunch” 和 “Coffee” City；當然試一試他們的早午餐是務必要做的事吧！

Before I travel to Australia, many of my friends told me it is a very vegetarian/vegan-friendly country. With a lot of options for plant-based diet, Here I would like to share two brunch places which I love the most in Melbourne!

- The Healthy Delicious Comfort Food -

 

Vegie Bar

380 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia, 3065

如果你也喜歡Fushion式的餐點，Vegie Bar 絕對是其中一個必要到的地方！在潮流地區“Fitzroy”的中心，它離 Rose Street Designer Market 非常近（手工藝和設計商品愛好者的“必遊之地”）—— 我也買了一只手工杯子呢（我是個質感工藝品控～）。

在大馬路對面看到餐廳已被餐廳的外觀吸引。步進餐廳，樓底非常高，和室內的工業風格，都充滿著嬉皮士的感覺。無論是服務員、還是在用餐的客人，衣著也很有獨特風格；配著輕快節奏的音樂，輕鬆氣氛遍布整間餐廳。餐廳還設有露台室外區，非常適合微涼的夏日跟一班朋友聚餐。

If you are into Western-Asian fusion food and being a fan of casual comfort food, Vegie Bar is definitely one of the good choices. Located near to the Rose Street Designer Market (a “must-visit” place for hand-crafted goods lovers!) and in the heart of hipster district “Fitzroy”, you can easily notice the restaurant when crossing the street.

Raw and industrial style of the interior, friendly and young waiter/waitress, a laid-back atmosphere is created all over the house. The big restaurant also has a terrace area, perfect for breezy summer days.

還未有吃過早餐的我們，下午三時多己經差不多日餓壞了，所以各自點了一個主食分享。餐點上，一般西餐中的薄餅、漢堡、小食也有；想健康一點的，他們也提供一些較輕盈的選擇如沙律、炒菜和穀物碗等等。愛好甜點者，目光一定會被他們的蛋糕櫃緊緊鎖著——從布朗尼蛋糕（奶素）、“芝士” 蛋糕（純素）到祼食蛋糕（純素、不含麩質）；一共有五至六種選擇，真真正正是植物性飲食者的天堂！

第一道菜，如其名，就是典型的素食版Big Mac漢堡！這款漢堡由兩層素餡餅（應該是豆類製品）、素芝士、生菜、洋蔥、酸菜和特製醬汁，配上三層漢堡包組成。雖然我以前也沒有很喜歡吃巨無霸，不過這個味道的確叫人回味，就是回憶中Big-Mac的味道。

第二道菜，英譯中的名字就是「大多是蔬菜」，聽上去以為會比較乏味，卻是最讓我驚喜的一道菜。時令的新鮮蔬菜配上有機天貝，用了我們熟悉的醬油，大蒜和薑炒起，是亞洲風味的做法，非常惹味。天貝是一種印度食品，由油炸發酵的大豆製成，是高蛋白質的食物，口感有點像肉的質感，也非常飽肚。（我第一次吃是在台北，已經立即愛上了。）加上糙米，混著芝麻醬一起吃（也可以選沙爹醬）；一道蔬菜做得如此色香味俱存，使用亞洲的食材卻有不同的異國風味，印象的確很深刻。

最後一道，則是中東風味的菜色。香料的醃製過的番茄、烤鷹嘴豆及胡桃炒起，配上南瓜和烤椰菜花，伴著小米。為了讓口感更加的豐富，上面則撒上醋栗，杏仁，榛子和椰子片。與烤過的微熱薄餅一起吃，在漸冷的冬日吃，既溫暖又滋味。

All the comfort food like burger, pizza, pasta and fries are available (Who doesn't love these food?!); at the same time, they also serve some lighter or wholesome options like grain bowls, stir-fry greens and salad. Not to mention they have a list of vegetarian/vegan dessert - from brownies, “cheese” cake to raw cake, truly a paradise for the plant-based diet.
 

We have ordered 3 main dishes to share:

1/ BETTER THAN A BIG MAC

A typical vegan version of Big Mac Burger! Ingredients including 2 vegan patties (yes, not beef!), vegan cheese, lettuce, onion, pickles and special sauce in a 3-part brioche bun. Although I am not a fan of Big Mac, this burger reminded me of the signature childhood burger... (I don’t think there are any differences!)

2/ MOSTLY GREENS

A stir-fry of seasonal vegetables with organic tempeh served in a wok without sacrifice to flavour - it is actually very yummy with tamari, garlic and ginger taste! What is Tempeh? My previous article “3 Vegan Restaurants in Taipei” has recorded my 1st experience in trying it! Tempeh is an Indonesian dish made by deep-frying fermented soya beans. High in protein and a good meat substitute - it really does fill you up! We love to mix the tahini sauce (you can also choose satay sauce), together with the brown rice, the dish is full of different flavours.

3/ MOROCCAN TAJINE

A middle-east inspired plate served in a wok with spiced tomato, baked chickpea and butternut pumpkin stew with roasted cauliflower. Topped with currant, almond, hazelnut and coconut flakes. Simply delicious when eating with the warm pita bread.

- The Place For Friends of Different Diets-

 

Fitzrovia

155 Fitzroy St,St Kilda, Victoria 3182.

這間小餐廳，可能是我這次在墨爾本到過，最特別喜歡地方。他們的早餐和早午餐的好評極多，是使用新鮮的食材，即時烹調我，同時提供肉食和素食餐點。假若你是胃口比較大的，在澳洲不用擔心吃不飽！他們的餐點的分量超大，胃口比較小的朋友們，便很適合跟大夥兒一起分享。可別以為分量大，質量便會相應減少——美味度是不會改變的！（大份夾好食應該就是這個意思……）

This lovely restaurant might be my favourite place during the trip. Being well-known for their breakfast and brunch, they make fresh and delicious food with vegetarian/vegan options. The portion is huge (I guess that is normal Aussie portion) without having to sacrifice the taste of it. If you are going with friends of different diets (meat/vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free), it is the place to visit!

一向愛自己在家做燕麥粥的我，當然要偷師。之前在倫敦、柏林等地也有試過不同咖啡店的燕麥粥，的確比起港式的牛奶麥皮及來得更具特色。這個是混合了藜麥、奇亞籽和粗粒燕麥煮成的，伴上香蕉和莓漿果，灑上夏威夷果仁碎（澳洲就是周圍也是夏威夷果仁！），無論是口感還是味道也相當不錯。

媽媽點了蘆筍配水牛奶酪，配上水煮蛋，灑上檸檬杏仁和煙肉碎。她喜歡比較清新的味道，配上無麩質的奇亞籽脆片，香口美味。哥哥則點了牛排三文治——用焦糖洋蔥和甜菜根來平衡牛排的強烈味道，我們也笑說這份量可以餵飽兩個飢腸轆轆的人吧... 超級巨大的三文治、還有厚切的薯條！

他們也提供一系列的葡萄酒、咖啡、茶、果汁等等。我點了豆奶的印度香料奶茶，澳洲的版本都是一整個壺上的，純素食的你也可以試一試！

I ordered my "go-to" breakfast - Oat porridge. Cooked with warm quinoa, chia and rolled oat, the soft and creamy porridge is served with banana and berry compote. And topped the macadamia crumbles, simple, tasty, and very satisfying.

My mum ordered asparagus with buffalo mozzarella, served with poached eggs, lemon almond houmous chia crips and bacon crumble - she likes the refreshing taste and guess what, this is a gluten-free dish. My brother had the fillet steak sandwiches on sourdough. With caramelised onions and beetroot remoulade to balance the taste. I guess this portion could feed two really hungry people… It is super huge!

They also served a range of vegetarian cakes on the bar, with a selection of wines, coffee and tea. What I love about drinking Chai Tea in Australia - they always come with a full pot of goodness. A must try if you are a fan of CHAI!

澳洲早午餐的餐廳的確有很多……由其咖啡店特別多！留言告訴我你想試哪一家餐廳吧。下次再跟大家分享墨爾本的咖啡店！

Let me know which restaurant you would love to try, and next articles I will share more about the cafe-hopping experience.

Love,
Charlotte

LifeStyle In White 素系風格

簡約生活，由素食開始

Hello, This is Charlotte, Charlotte in White!

Hi！我叫Charlotte，九十後，是個攝影師／錄像導演／平面設計師／時尚博客／網上時裝店店主／半個服裝設計師／半個模特兒和半個舞蹈員⋯⋯是個Slash斜槓青年吧！基本上，所有關於視覺創意的事我也接觸。

（推出這本書之後，我也成為賣文人了。）

我天生就喜歡看所有美麗的事物——包括人、景色、服裝⋯⋯但我並不是從小就學習藝術的。小學的畫畫課也沒有特別高分，偶爾被貼堂的作品，多數也是因為有哥哥（出貓）幫忙。不過，我爸爸是半個攝影迷，家中有專業的菲林相機，從小我就喜歡去搶他的相機亂拍，是真的亂拍一通！而那些相薄中「鬆、郁、朦」的照片，就是我的童年大作。那時，我也不擔心拍得好不好，反正爸爸從來不介意我燒菲林。看來，這也算是我創作之路的起點。

長大後，我才開始接觸不同的藝術作品，也開始跳舞，慢慢發覺自己還是喜歡簡單、直接的東西。無論是照片、錄像、設計、穿衣，愈簡約，我所感覺到的力量更大——簡單化，在我所觸及的地方，追求著每一個位置和細節也有其意思和意義的。

三年前，因為一次到台南參加斷食營的經歷，讓我做了一個決定：要從生活中最基本的「食」開始，把其「簡約化」。從此，我的斜槓又多了一劃，決意成為「素食者」，裡裡外外去實行我的簡約生活。

但始終，「民以食為天」嘛，在一個傳統華人家庭長大，從小由煮飯習慣「多油、多鹽、多肉」的嫲嫲帶大，要徹底地改變飲食習慣，並非易事，也絕非我個人的事。其中不少經驗，有好笑的、奇怪的、意想不到的、掙扎的、不愉快的：和自己的對戰問：「為何要吃素？」、「為甚麼簡單的吃頓飯也好像要麻煩身邊人遷就？」；還有和身邊的人的互動，餐廳老闆一知半解的說：「不吃肉？我們海鮮也好吃！」甚至媽媽無奈的訴說：「甚麼也不吃，也不知道要給你煮些甚麼！」

也許，從我的文字，能道出不少素食朋友的心底話，讓大家知道難免崎嶇的素食之路上有這麼一個素未謀面的知心人。更能讓未曾試過吃素的朋友多明白一點吃素到底是甚麼一回事，然後能和吃素的家人朋友相處得更好，甚至偶爾一起享受素食的滋味。

這三年，素食除了讓我發現食物可以如此多樣性，也讓我因此接觸到更多的人、更多我未曾想像過的事。沒有負擔的蔬食，不止於可以為身體帶來好的能量，感覺輕盈和舒適了，也影響了我的生活態度，甚至對生命的看法。在二十七歲的這一年，我寫下自己從決定素食開始，那些初心和經歷、成功與困難、身體及心靈上的點點過程——記錄我如何由選擇「食物」開始，過一個自己選擇的人生，一步步成為「更好的我」。即使感覺未足以超越世界的慣性，我卻可以選擇改變自己，從每天都要吃的食物開始。

對我來說，「素」不只是吃，它能賞、能活。素食的日子、簡約的生活、直接的情感——是啟發，是美麗的開始，是愛。

這篇文章收錄於《素系風格——素食與簡約生活練習》一書中，CHARLOTTE與天窗出版社合作出版的書藉；
於2018年夏天六月陸續上架，於香港及台灣各大書局有售。

按此看更多資料：《素系風格——素食與簡約生活練習》

LOVE,

CHARLOTTE

Jamaica Vibe Vegan Food in Paris

The place for all Vegan to be!

【全素食者一定喜歡的地方 - 巴黎的牙買加風素食】

Jah Jah by Le Tricycle
Address: 51 Rue De Paradis 75010 Paris

天然的食材、悠閒的氣氛、最酷和Hip的店員.. 是我第一步踏進Jah Jah by Le Tricycle的感覺。那天早上，我剛好在巴第十區附近工作；午餐時正想找家素食餐人 廳，便從手機應用程式  "Happy Cow"上找到這家餐廳。（詳細程式的資料在這邊 - A Day in Paris）

店中全是滿滿的牙買加風格！

Clean food, amazing laid-back atmosphere, coolest people there... Using my travel essential "Happy Cow" App on my phone to locate this restaurant when I was working in the 10th arrondissement. (More details about "Happy Cow" - A Day in Paris) When I arrived, this interior design instantly caught my eye.

The Jamaica Vibe !
 

他們的食物是以起源於牙買加Ital飲食法為主。他們採用植物為食材的基礎，食材全部來自大自然的土壤（有機種植），嚴禁具有加工成分的食材，亦不會對食物加工。 聽起來以為食物會很單調？那你就大錯特錯了... 看看他們在Instagram上的食物照吧！

他們以熱狗，炸玉米餅、豐富食物碗、果昔而聞名；讓素食者最開心的就是看到這些多姿多采的食材吧，頓時胃口也大開了。

At Jah Jah, the Ital diet (originated from Jamaica) is adapted - plant-based, food that comes from the soils of Mother Nature, organic, and strictly no processed foods or ingredients in the food. Knowing this makes me (and all Vegans) so happy!

They are famous for their hot dogs, tacos, bowls and smoothie.. (See how colourful they are!)

Pictures from @letricycle Instagram.

好吧，這就是我今天的午餐。 十一月中的巴黎只有攝氏六度，只要是熱的東西我也想吃（全程也不知道有多少杯熱咖啡救了我一命...） 這個黃黃的南瓜湯，不過是南瓜的甜味，再灑上黑白芝麻一種甜美而堅果的味道，再用芫荽作調味！最簡單的美味，是一種純粹的快樂。

另一樣點的，是“烤香蕉條”！ 看起來是薯條（烤香蕉造的版本），甜甜的糖漿和莎莎醬作調味。是非常飽肚和美味的組合呢。配上我最愛的牛油果醬 - 簡直就是人間天堂般的美味。

Okay, so here it comes my lunch of the day. That day was freezing, only 6 degrees Celsius. All I want is something hot - Hot coffee, Hot tea or Hot Soup! This pumpkin soup is a simple pleasure - with nothing more than the sweetness of pumpkin, black and white sesame to add a sweet and nutty flavour, and finish with a handful of coriander to brighten flavours! (Yes, I LOVE Coriander.)

And another thing I love... the "Na-na Fries"! It is a bake-dried version of Banana, with glazed sweet syrup with Salsa on top. It is very fulfilling and super yummy! Comes with the Guacamole dips - this is what, heaven on earth means!

朋友去法國愛吃海鮮、芝士；我到法國愛找全素美食。生活中的快樂，是用美食、享樂去衛量嗎？是你需要懂得如何去找出讓自己快樂的方法吧。（雖然，我覺得這些食物已經很美味了）

As a vegan, I am still a foodie (that I like to explore food local food when I am travelling!) My simple pleasure? It might take a little longer time to find the vegan cuisine in a new city, but once you found them, believe me, you will be surprised by the real good food! 

Love,
Charlotte

From Vegetarian to Vegan #2

上回講到，我順利完成「30 天不喝牛奶」的挑戰後，成功把臉上的暗瘡擊退！
也再沒有長新的豆豆。朋友見到我也讚：「你的皮膚好好啊～」「皮膚好美！都是因為吃素的緣故吧。」我說，是因為再沒有吃奶製品（本身我也是個不吃蛋的素食者）。有趣的是，當你再不吃奶和蛋，你會發現市面上98%的甜品你是不可以吃的；90%以上的麵包也是不可以吃的。所以，吃甜的機會，大大減少了。什麼Crepe Cake、芝士蛋糕、Waffles也可以說拜拜。
轉為純素食後，也許，你會發現有些生活上的改變（麻煩）會出現；然而，而這些不只讓你更留意自己的飲食，而其他好處亦會慢慢影響到你呢。

在文章最尾有超簡單的牛油果吐司做法，我最近最喜歡的早餐！

If you have read my last article (Why I change from Vegetarian to Vegan #1), you may know that how effective it is for me to get a better-looking skin by not drinking milk (and other milk-related products). Of course, it might not be applicable to anyone, and it is true that it might because I am allergic to milk; however, it actually worth a try! Here I will talk about the changes after you changed your diet...

1. You have learnt how to read food labels

After you adapt a vegan diet, checking food labels is a must. 
Some food addictive, like whey and some emulsifier, which come from milk, are present in many cereal bars, breads, and granolas. You will be surprised how many foods, that you think they are without the usage of dairy products actually is not suitable for you(as a vegan), anymore. Like your favourite pieces of chocolate, pasta and even bread. So, you will be alert of names like emulsifier, whey, casein etc... For Chinese food, ramen also contains eggs!

2. You will have less and less absorption of refined sugar.

Believe it or not, over 90% of bread and 98% of dessert in the market contains eggs and milk. Crepe cake? Cheesecake? Croissant? Sorry, they are all made with eggs and milk. Even some of the loaf bread contains milk (especially those you can find in chain bakery). In a result, you found that you cannot have a bite of most of the birthday day cakes, pancakes are no longer an option in your brunch list, and ice cream is no longer your "instant" mood-booster, too. However, you will find yourself being very energetic after stop absorbing sugars, you may start to lose weight, your skin will brighten and cleared... There are just so many studies reflect that sugar has a negative effect on human.  

3. You may find it a little bit harder to eat with friends

Yes, when you going a step further switching from a Vegetarian to a Vegan, at first it might get harder when you want to eat out. It is actually quite difficult to order a vegan dish in most of the normal restaurants - 1) always cheese pizza, salad with cheese or hidden chicken or butter stock in Western food; 2) fried rice and ramen with eggs in Chinese food; 3) and beef broth & fish sauce are very common in Vietnam & Thai food. My suggestions are, going for a Vegetarian or Vegan restaurant (as most of the Vegetarian places will state clearly dishes are vegan or not). Or, look for independent restaurants and call them in advance to see if they can prepare vegan dishes for you.

4. You are more aware of nutrients

"Where do you get protein?" " Where do you get enough Iron?" The most frequent questions I've got.

As I have Thalassemia (地中海貧血) - which caused moderate Anemia, I often looked pale, easy to have fatigue and dizziness. Being able to get enough nutrients is really important, so I started to search for alternatives. No, don't listen to grandma, you actually don't have to eat red meat or seafood in order to absorb iron; instead, spinach, beetroot, and oatmeal etc are good sources to combat Anemia. My mother used to prepare Ginger and Red Date Tea for me - which is a powerful food for women (especially during period) as red dates are naturally rich in Iron. And it is perfect for winter days too! (And its sweetness is just so good...)

Besides, although people would think that eggs, dairy products and meat are the best sources of protein, there are actually much more vegan options! Ingredients like chia seeds, quinoa, beans, nuts and nut butter, or even leafy greens like Broccoli provides protein. My favourite ways to eat:  Add chia seeds and nut butter into my morning smoothie, having quinoa for lunch as a rice/noodles substitute, and cooked broccoli for salad. 

---

Afterall, you may find yourself have become a semi-professional nutritionist! Here I am going to share one of my recent favourite breakfast recipe, which is the signature Avocado Toast! (Come on... you have to admit that you saved around HKD $90 if you make it by yourself.) Besides, after being a Vegetarian for almost 3 years and a newbie in Vegan, I know how important it is to satisfy your stomach... If you don't want to keep snacking and over-eating all day, you need to pay attention on how to get good nutrients in every single meal!

RECIPE

AVOCADO TOAST

Avocado with fresh Cherry Tomatoes

Preparation Time:
6 mins

Ingredients:
1 slice of Whole Wheat Toast
1/2 Avocado
4-5 Cherry Tomatoes
1/2 Lemon Juice
Pinch of Pepper & Sea Salt
(As needed) Balsamic Vinegar to taste

Steps:
1. Toast the slice of whole wheat bread.
2. Cut the cherry tomatoes into small dices.
3. Smash the avocado in a bowl, add cherry tomatoes and lemon juice, and mix them up.
4. Spread it evenly on the toast, and add pepper and sea salt to taste!

*I like to add some Balsamic Vinegar because I just love its sweetness taste bring to the tomatoes!

There you are - the super easy, fulfilling and delicious Vegan breakfast to start your day. The combination of healthy fats from the avocado and carbohydrates from whole wheat toast is great for nourishing your body. What is your favourite breakfast? Share with me in the comments below!

Have a perfect avocado day!

LOVES,

CHARLOTTE

3 Taipei Vegan Restaurants to Visit

Taipei, the top in the world most vegan friendly cities, a paradise for vegetarian and vegan.
No matter what cuisine you're looking for, there are always thousands of choices - Chinese, Western, Japanese, even Thai or Raw food, you can always pick your favourite among all. As a food lover (well, who is not?), I found some gems in this lovely city, and would love to share with you guys.

在全球最Vegan-friendly的城市，素食人口比例很高的台北，素食餐廳的選擇本身就很多。無論是中式、西式、日式、甚至泰式或生機飲食(Raw Food)，各式其式，的確是「素食者的天堂」。這次我就分享幾家我到過的素食餐廳，的確每一間都有小驚喜。

Blossom Rena Vegan Cafe

100% Vegan Food, with Homemade Tasty Dessert & Pastries

The first meal after arriving Taipei was truly enjoyable. Spacious and beautiful interior, attentive waitress (clearly explain to us when we have questions towards the food), and abundant of options on menu.

The freshly baked tartar with french baguette as appetizer was so good! Following with the Quinoa Hummus Salad with Tempeh. I have never tried Tempeh before. Originating from Indonesia, the waitress tell me this soy-product is now a new "hit" in the vegan restaurant in Taiwan. It has a firm texture and nutty flavour which is great with stir-fry or chili. Meanwhile it is very high in protein, calcium and vitamin B12, which are a very good nutrient food for vegan. Earl grey latte (made with non-GMO soybean) and orange cake with cashew cream as dessert, we had a very delicious and fulfilling evening in the restaurant.

Blossom Rena Vegan Cafe
26-1, Section 3, Zhongshan North Road, Taipei

Plants

Plants-based, Gluten-Free & Whole Food Vegan Restaurant

Free from animal products, dairy, eggs, gluten & refined-sugar, you can enjoy wholesome and delicious food here in Plants. Made with fresh, local, seasonal, organic ingredients, the creatively blended smoothie is a great start of the meal. Many superfoods are added, like turmeric (still remember my Golden Milk recipe?), Acai, Goji Berries - making these smoothies filled with nutrients.

We love the seaweed salad and Korean kimchi pancakes. You can taste the freshness in their food! Apart from the cooked options, Acai bowl and raw cakes are also available - sometimes, the pleasure doesn't have to be "Guilty" at all.

Plants
1F., No.10, Ln. 253, Sec. 1, Fuxing S. Rd., Da-an Dist., Taipei.

Soul R. Vegan Cafe

Delicious Vegan Dessert even Non-Vegans Will Love!

Tiramisu, Chocolate Brownie and Soy Latte... Girls always have room for dessert! And this one doesn't feel like vegan at all! Without milk and eggs, these desserts are very satisfying with a rich flavour. The chocolate brownie has a very dense and fudgy texture, meanwhile, the cream in the tiramisu is rich and creamy (although it is not made with a traditional Italian recipe). End with a large cup of Soy Latte to satisfy my coffee craving. (You have no idea how hard it is to find plant milk in coffee shop in Taiwan! I will share a little bit more in the next article.)

Soul R. Vegan Café
No. 6, Alley 1, Lane 217, Section 3, Zhongxiao East Road, Da’an District, Taipei.

Besides these western and photogenic restaurants (good for Instagram!), I have also tried some local restaurants for Chinese dumplings, soup and even stinky tofu! I love Taipei because you never have to worry where to eat - as there are always little vegan/vegetarian restaurant around the corner! (And it's cheap too!)


Have you been to Taiwan? Let me know your favourite restaurant and I will make sure to visit them next time!

LOVES,

CHARLOTTE

From Vegetarian to Vegan #1

吃素接近三年了，一段不長不短的時間。從「食肉獸」到底「素食者」，主要是因為健康問題。 即使我不吃雞蛋，牛奶仍是我的最愛... 不過，因為一個原因，我決定要跟這個「長期最愛」說30天拜拜。
一直纏繞著我的問題，亦是女生最介意的問題，「暗瘡」。老實說，我的自我控制是超差的。由其是當這些美味的食物 —  塗滿牛油的麵包，芝士頭盤、沙拉、牛奶咖啡... 每頓飯也有奶製品！在歐洲旅遊的一個月，我實在吃太多奶製品。接著， (可怕的)事情就發生了。
是的，這兩年我也有暗瘡問題。雖然不是大範圍，但有些地方是很容易長暗瘡：下巴，額頭和臉頰。通常，我每1-2個月就有一次這個問題，我一直以為是由月經的荷爾蒙引起的。在旅途的10天後，我發現有些位置開始不停的長暗瘡，而右邊臉頰還有一堆小暗粒！記得有一個晚上，臉上突然感到很痛，痛了一個晚上... 第二天我看鏡子，天啊！臉頰上的小豆豆開始發紅和腫脹... 更出水。看上去就不止是暗瘡問題，還有受感染！我的皮膚看上去實在太可怕的關係，在旅途中的照片也沒幾張是拍自己的...
所以，回來之後的第一件事，就是開始「30 天不喝牛奶」的挑戰！另外，30天後，如果我的皮膚沒有改善，我應該可以以後也不用擔心喝牛奶皮膚會變差... 但結果卻讓我很意外，讓我在這分享這30天的歷程吧。

As some of you already know, I have been a Vegetarian for almost 3 years. Started from "All-to Nothing", I started a vegetarian diet from a "meat-lover", mainly because of health issues <Why I become a Vegetarian>. And yes, I have been avoiding one of my favourite foods in the past month, which makes ice-cream, yoghurt, cheese and even cappuccino - Milk.
 

30Days of Total Elimination - MILK

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WHY?

Because I've had too much Dairy when I was travelling in Europe in July. Honest saying, I am not good at self-control when it comes to these yummy foods - I will have butter for bread, different types of cheese are usually in the starter or salad, and finish with a cup of milk coffee... Sometimes I had pastries and gelato when I visit coffee shops or simply because it is delightful to have sweets in the day! That means I have dairy products in every meal. Then something (horrible...) happened.

I love visiting coffee shops so it means, much more coffee, and milk. Even pastries.

Sour cream cold-soup and Burrata(cheese) for starters in Vienna.

ACNE? INFECTIONS?

Yes, I have acne problem. Although I don't have them all over my face, some spots are prone to acne - chin, forehead and cheek area. Usually, I have this problem once every 1-2 months, and I thought it was caused by menstruation.
Things started to get worse after 10 days in the trip. I noticed there are several new acne grow, and there is even a cluster of little acnes on my cheek! One night I even feeling very painful on my face... and the next day I wake up, I look into the mirror and I was so scared! The redness and swelling area are getting much worse. I was really sad and shocked. It is not only acne problem but some kind of infections. 
That was really sad, because of the acne problem I seldom take a lot of pictures of myself during the trip - my skin looks too horrible in pictures with redness and everything...

When I started my trip, my skin still look okay without a lot of pimples. But when it getting worse, I stopped to take selfies as I am not really confident.

HOW?

The 1st thing after I come back - is trying the Total Elimination Plan. After doing some research on the "milk and acne effect", and how dairy products causing clogged pores, excessive oil and even make a breeding ground for acnes bacteria, I decided to cut dairy out of the diet for 30 days.
It is not easy, especially for my love towards dairy products and food that includes dairy products (yoghurt & cappuccino!!!), but... I have to give it a try. I miss my clear looking skin!
Also, if my skin doesn’t improve, I can go back to have as much as milk as I want forever. (This was really in my thoughts...)

Plant-based diet. Pumpkin Salad I've made at home.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Things started to be better just after 2 weeks. The infected area is healed, and there is no more new acne. In order to detox, I also go back to my everyday morning run practice, I just love sweating and the refresh feeling. As you can see from the above picture, this was how my skin looks on Day 13.
And now, today is the Day 30, my skin never looked this clear for a year. No acne, fewer pimples, getting much better... So, the acne and milk trade-off works!

Day 13, acne are healing.

Day 25, after the morning run and sweating does help a lot on detox!

WHY MILK CAUSED ACNE?

Here are some reasons:
1. Too much hormone which is good for baby cow, but not for you, especially not for adults!
2. Dairy causes your skin to produce excess sebum (oil)
3. Dairy glues together dead skin cells inside your pores, so they can’t exit naturally, leading to clogged pores.
It is quite straight forward - if you want clear skin, cutting out dairy is one of the most powerful things you can do.
And countless studies and evidence showed how cows are cruelly treated in the production of milk. If it is not being produced in a natural way, this is not a "natural & happy" food when it goes into your tummy too.

Coffee with Milk and Yougurt was my favourite breakfast.

MY ALTERNATIVE TO MILK

Cut off dairy doesn't mean you have to sacrifice all the good food. I can still have my oatmeal, my cappuccino, and some of my favourite dessert. You just have to take a good look at the ingredients. And once you start researching the alternative, you will be amazed by how many plant-based milk options are available: Almond milk (and all kind of nut milk), Coconut milk, Rice milk. A little reminder is that - make sure you don't drink as much as Soy milk. Soy milk is made from processed and very often genetically modified soybeans, it could potentially disturb your hormones, especially for ladies. 

These are some vegan meals I made during these 30 Days. I even cook more because of the diet!

Yes, I have changed from being a Vegetarian to a Vegan. For milk? I miss it, but I like how I look with clear skin way better and to stand against animal cruelty and animal exploitation. It is not easy at the start, but it will gradually easier when you get over the addiction.

And I will share more about why a Vegan/Plant based diet is good for you and what I eat after adopting this lifestyle. Stay tuned and I wish you a better, clearer looking skin ever!

Loves,