When Australian fast-bowler Peter Siddle decided to make the switch to a full vegan diet  , his girlfriend of more than two years, Anna Weatherlake, didn’t have high hopes.

“I honestly didn’t think he would last,” she laughs. “Sids is the biggest Australian bogan you’ll ever meet, he just comes with that stereotype – with the gross tatts – but he has not faltered once.”

It’s a big achievement for the cricketer, who cut out all animal products in November 2012 and hasn’t had an alcoholic drink since May 2012.

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Instead of pies and beers, the 29-year-old keeps up his energy with nuts and dates, stays hydrated with coconut water and snacks on a whopping 20 bananas a day.

“He’s amazing,” Weatherlake says, “He loves his bananas. He has about eight at breakfast and then 10-12 throughout the day.”

Siddle’s amazing transformation – he has lost eight kilos since making the lifestyle change – can be clearly attributed to his committed, animal-loving girlfriend. Weatherlake, a pioneer of clean, healthy eating and an avid cook, admits she does most of the cooking, “although Sids does try”.

The vegan seed was first planted in Siddle’s mind when the couple, who were friends for five years before they got together, moved in with each other. Weatherlake doggedly refuses to cook any meat products in her home and began sharing some of the harsh realities of the cruel practices in the meat industry with her boyfriend.

“He got to one point, I remember, where he’d look at a piece of meat on his plate and instead of eating it he began to think about the fact that an animal had lost his life for his appetite,” says Weatherlake.

From there, Siddle did his research, reading up on fellow athletes who also embrace the vegan way of life, including former sprinter Carl Lewis and tennis players Venus and Serena Williams.

The benefits have been endless for the man who once bowled himself to exhaustion during last year’s Adelaide Test and was forced to pull out of the subsequent Perth match as a result.

“The thing that Sids is noticing most is that after games his recovery time is shortened,” Weatherlake reveals. “After a five day Test match he would be exhausted – Adelaide was a perfect example. It would sometimes take four to five days to recover. Now his recovery time has halved.”

Whenever Weatherlake asks him if he misses anything about his old meat-eating days, his answer is always definitive.

“He says ‘the way I feel compared to the way I used to feel – I couldn’t miss anything,'” she says. “He’s not tired any more, he has so much energy … but if he was to miss something he would say Malteasers.”

For others who are considering cutting animal products, there are benefits. A vegan diet is completely cholesterol free and has been shown to improve, if not completely cure, health conditions like irritable bowel syndrome.

What’s more, it’s left Sids with a healthy glow.

“He never had bad skin but now his skin is beautiful and glowing,” Weatherlake says. “It’s amazing to sit back and watch him go through the transformation. It’s really admirable.”

A day in the life of Sids’ diet

Breakfast: A smoothie with 8 bananas, a handful of spinach, a handful of kale, chia seeds and coconut water. “This changes everyday but bananas and coconut water are the base,” Weatherlake says.

Mid-morning snack: Fresh fruit, dates and nuts. “It’s really high sugar diet,” Weatherlake admits, “We do eat so much sugar, but it all comes from good food.”

Lunch: Sids’ midday meal “depends on where he is,” explains Weatherlake. “If he’s playing, most of the hospitality at the games prepare vegan food for him like a salad with quinoa, leafy greens or cous cous. If he’s at home he’ll actually just eat a whole half of a watermelon. With all the enzymes it’s so good for you.”

Dinner: The final meal of the day is “usually something with a lot of veggies,” according to Weatherlake. A typical dish ranges from raw zucchini pasta, sweet potato topped with vegetables, or a stir fry with tofu or tempeh.

Sids’ favourite vegan lasagne

When asked about boyfriend’s favourite dish, Weatherlake bashfully admits that she makes “a pretty mean vegan lasagne”. To eat like the fast-bowler, follow her recipe below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basil Cashew ‘Cheese’

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for 30 minutes.
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock or water
• 2 peeled garlic cloves,
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1.5 cups fresh basil leaves (lightly packed)
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast (available in health food stores)
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Firstly, make the ‘cheese’. Place garlic cloves and process until finely chopped. Drain the cashews and add in the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth.

2. Makes approximately one cup. Place in fridge until you’re ready to use it in your lasagna. 

Ingredients:

• 2 boxes of San Remo dairy and egg free lasanga sheets
• 2 bottles of pasta sauce (ensure it’s vegan)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 2 small zucchinis, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large red capsicum, chopped
• 1 large handful spinach
• Salt & Pepper
• Lemon Basil Cheeze Sauce (as above)
• Vegan cheese (available in health food stores – most of the soy ones in the supermarket are not vegan)

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. In a large pan, sauté onion and garlic over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add in the rest of the vegetables, season well with salt and pepper and sauté for another 10-15 minutes.

2. Add 1 cup of pasta sauce to the bottom of your baking dish. Add a layer of lasagna sheets, a layer of the basil ‘cheese’ sauce, a generous layer of the vegetables. Repeat, starting with the pasta sauce, until you have used all of the ingredients. Finish with a layer of lasagna sheets, some pasta sauce and a generous sprinkle of vegan cheese.

4. Cover with alluminium foil and prick with fork a few times. Bake at 200°C for approximately 45 minutes and then remove tinfoil and check there is no burning at the edges.

5. Let stand for 5-10 minutes and then serve with a big leafy green salad.