Kate Melvin Identical twins Hamish & Angus,


now 5 years “Being vegan yourself is one thing. Some people admire and understand you, others tell you that you are extreme! Bringing up vegan babies is a whole different ball game. For a few people this is a step too far and you are being irresponsible by inflicting your beliefs on your children. However, it then equally applies that meat eaters are inflicting their dietary habits on their kids! As a vegan couple we were happy to bring up our twins, Hamish and Angus, as vegan. “As a vegan of 13 years I enjoyed a relaxed and trouble-free pregnancy.


Scrambled Tofu


l 1 block firm tofu l 1 tbsp oil l Turmeric (mild-tasting yellow spice – watch you don’t get it on


Not only did I stay very active and healthy, but, much to the amazement of the health professionals, I carried our babies for the full 40 weeks, (unusual for twins)! Angus was 6lbs 11oz and Hamish 7lbs 4oz, which for twins is fantastic (the average is 3lbs). “Hamish and Angus arrived naturally and were breastfed almost


Serves 2 | Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking time: 7-10 minutes Recommended age of child: from six months Freeze time: unsuitable for freezing


clothes as it stains! It’s available in all supermarkets, health and


Indian stores) l Pepper


1 Remove the tofu from its wrapper and drain all the water out. 2 Add 1 tbsp oil to a pan and heat gently. 3 Crumble in the tofu by hand – it should be in small pieces about the size of peas. 4 Gently fry for a couple of minutes and add some turmeric and a little salt and pepper. 5 If desired, add chopped cooked veg.


38 Vegetarian and Vegan Mother and Baby Guide


exclusively until I returned to work at five months and for some feeds until eight months. Soya formula milk wasn’t difficult to get hold of and they both thrived on it. At the start of weaning we used potatoes, vegetables and fruits but the biggest hit was porridge each morning. I gradually introduced lentils in soups and beans mashed up as well as foods such as ground seaweed, tahini, yeast extract, hazelnut oil, dried fruits etc. Their favourite was avocado and rice. “I was initially worried that I might not be able to provide all the


nourishment they needed but as time went on I realised they are fully nourished, energetic boys. Their developmental review at seven months confirmed that they were advanced for their age, so I needn’t have worried and I would have no hesitation in recommending a vegan diet to anyone. Hamish and Angus are living proof that a vegan diet is not only perfectly safe but a healthy alternative to one full of animal proteins, hormones and fats. “My sons are strong, intelligent, lively, happy boys.”


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