The ChickPeeps

This week Robbie and Evy explore the myriad reasons why eggs are not vegan, and how the commercial egg industry has distorted the natural cycle of egg-laying hens to alarming proportions. We interview the awe-inspiring founder of Viva!, Juliet Gellatley (4.05 mins), who shares stories from her work doing undercover investigations inside factory farms. We also address the heavily debated issue of backyard hens and whether it is ethical to consume eggs from free hens and discuss egg-free baking substitutes!

This week Evy, and guest co-host, Elliot Knight, expound on their deep love for all things smothered in thick layers of delicious chocolate. We talk about the struggle of being vegan when treats and desserts are not prioritised, and are seen as too obscure to make by non-vegans. Later on we interview the fantastic Jacques Cop, founder and head chocolatier of vegan chocolate house, Coco Caravan, to learn about the process of making vegan chocolate and how raw chocolate is actually a healthy food.

This week we’re talking about all things cheese and why so many aspiring vegans find it difficult to give it up. Momo and Evy share some charming details about dairy cheese production and then compare the nutritional content of dairy cheese with vegan cheese. Later on, (24.20) we interview the phenomenal Miyoko Schinner, vegan cheese queen and founder of Miyoko’s Kitchen her early struggles going vegan while being a cheese aficionado, and how she founded her legendary vegan cheese empire.

You may be thinking that for a vegan podcast we really don't spend much time discussing how to make delicious, simple, healthy vegan food. We thought that too, so this week we are joined by talented chef, co-founder of Wicked Healthy, Director of Plant-Based Innovation at Tesco, and all-around wonderful person, Derek Sarno. Evy and the newest ChickPeeps recruit, MJ, talk to Derek about Buddhism, why he prefers the term 'free from animals' over veganism, and the future of plant-based food.

Tylor, Evy and Robbie take on the heavily debated subject of whether or not zoos are vegan-friendly. As animal-lovers, many vegans crave the opportunity to meet animals at zoos, however there is no denying that wild animals in captivity are caged against their will. We talk about our experiences with zoos and the role zoos play in education and conservationism. Later on, we interview Maddy Taylor, the Campaigns Officer for Freedom For Animal (previously known as the Captive Animals Protection Society).

This week Momo and Evy delve into the complicated world of vegan beauty products and how to make sure your vanity table is 100% vegan. We discuss the apparent oxymoron of cruelty free products that are not vegan, and why we demand more stringent measures from beauty brands than from food manufacturers. Later on (18.30) we interview Hilary Jones, the Ethics Director of Lush cosmetics, a 32-year vegan and a fierce and knowledgable advocate for ending animal testing.

Special guest alert! This week Evy tries to keep her shit together as she interviews the woman who inspired The ChickPeeps, Victoria Moran. Victoria is the host of the award-winning vegan podcast, Main Street Vegan, the author of 13 books & the founder/director of the Main Street Vegan Academy. A vegan of 35 years, Victoria shares what it was like being vegan when nobody knew what that meant, and discusses the concept of Attractivism. She also shares her advice for accelerating the dream of a vegan world.

Many people struggle with the concept that honey is not vegan because they don't understand how taking their honey hurts the bees or they argue that if the bees were unhappy they could just fly away. So this week Tylor and Evy discuss the much debated topic of honey and why it isn't vegan. Later in the show, Evy interviews Elena Orde of The Vegan Society, the organistion that coined the term vegan, to learn about the many non-vegan standard practices in the various stages of honey production.

The ChickPeeps discuss veganism vs the fashion industry and how to transition to a cruelty-free wardrobe. Evy gets to interview another of her vegan heroines (13.30), the inspiring entrepreneur and found of the vegan label, Vaute, Leanne Mai-Ly Hilgart, who shares anecdotes from her journey from child animal activist to teacher to vegan fashion designer. Leanne shares valuable insights on how not following the rules led her to being one of the leaders of the growing vegan fashion scene.

Is being vegan more expensive than other diets? Non-vegans often hold the perception that being vegan is a much more expensive lifestyle to lead, so this week Momo and Evy tackle that subject and discuss tips and tricks to making vegan life that bit cheaper. The fabulous Toni Okamoto, author and creator of the popular blog PlantBasedOnABudget.com, also graces the podcast this week and shares details of her work and how you can learn to be vegan for $18 a week! No more excuses!

The ChickPeeps have an indepth discussion about the world's largest animal rights organisation, PETA. Founded in 1980, PETA made a name for itself with its trademark provocative campaigns and demonstrations. However, PETA’s bold and controversial tactics often mean that their reputation obscures their tireless efforts to improve the lives of animals. We interview the dauntless and unfailingly kind leader of PETA, Ingrid Newkirk to discuss what PETA was like in the early days and to debunk the myths.

After our fun, fictional, vegan musings of the magical world last week, the ChickPeeps take a more factual turn with a discussion on health as a vegan, and the common misconceptions society holds of plant-based nutrition. The brilliant Dr.Garth Davis, weight loss surgeon, author of Proteinaholic, and outspoken advocate for plant-based nutrition joins us (8.55 min in) for this episode to debunk the myths and explain to us the science of why our bodies function better without animal products.

Welcome to the second instalment of our meandering exploration of animal rights in the Wizarding World: Episode! Evy, Robbie & Tylor jump right back in where we left off last week to discuss how to handle handle the delicate task of freeing all house-elves from slavery without traumatizing them, which wand cores are vegan, and the unfair portrayal of dragons as vicious beasts. We also interview Tylor and his co-founder Kathryn on their Potter-inspired animal right’s charity, The Fantastic Beasts Foundatio

This week, Evy, Tylor & Robbie kick off the first of the ChickPeeps' episodes of 2018 with the much-hyped and inevitable discussion of animal rights in the wizarding world of our favourite boy wizard. In this two-part conversation, The ChickPeeps share our observations & conundrums as Potter fans/animal activists and discuss the various characters who love and respect the beasts and the not so subtle messages of animal rights and welfare that prevail throughout the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts' series.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from The ChickPeeps! In this final ChickPeeps episode of 2017, Evy, Momo, Robbie and Tylor share their holiday vegan traditions and how we keep our spirits up when our loved ones’ are celebrating with very non-vegan conventions.