Step two: Start small.
Hopefully, you have now found your reason to step onboard the V train after reading How to be a little vegan: Part One. You’re probably thinking, what now? Where do I even start? Well, you start by making small changes. There may be people who like to dive in and turn vegan overnight and if that floats your boat I don’t want to discourage you! But for most, it’s a process. And the best chance you have of sticking to it is to start by giving up the foods that you deem the easiest to let go of. For some this may be red meat, for others it may be dairy milk or even eggs.
Take a moment to think about whether there is a food that you could quite happily live without or could it be substituted for a vegan alternative? I know I have talked about plant-based milk before but they are a great place to start. Generally, people only have milk in their tea/coffee or on their cereal so switching it out can be an easy first step. There is so much choice out there now and it’ll only take you a few days to get used to it (I promise!) My favourite for coffee and tea is oat milk because it tastes creamy but doesn’t leave me feeling heavy. It also brings out the flavour of the coffee even more!
Another easy switch is dairy-free butter. There are so many vegan spreads available made from a range of oils and not only are they delicious on your toast but you can also bake with them. Trust me, you will barely notice the change!
Re-designing your dinner plate:
So you have switched out a couple of your favourite animal products for plant-based alternatives but what about making bigger changes? What are some of your favourite meals? Can they be made without animal products? A great place to start is spaghetti bolognese or chilli. Even though traditionally these dishes contain beef mince, it is so easy to substitute this for a vegan alternative and not even notice. The easiest switch is to soy mince. It can often be found in the freezer aisle and it only takes 10-15 minutes to cook so it’s a great substitution. Other options are tempeh, which is made from soy but is less processed than tofu and has a hardy texture and nutty flavour. It can easily be crumbled into dishes and cooks up just like mince. For a list of where to buy tempeh in the UK click here. Other alternatives that you can use are lentils or mushrooms chopped very finely (or blended in a food processor).
A Guide to Meat Substitutes:
- Soy Mince: Cook straight from frozen just like you would beef mince
- Tempeh: Chop finely or crumble into the pan and cook like you would beef mince
- Lentils: You can either use dried lentils (green or red) and add them into the pan once you’ve added the liquid ingredients (passata, stock, tinned tomatoes etc) or if you’re in a rush and don’t want to wait 20-30 minutes for them to cook, use tinned lentils instead. If using dried lentils you may need to add more liquid to the pan so that they cook properly without sticking or burning. You must always rinse the lentils thoroughly.
- Mushrooms: Replacing the meat component in a meal with finely chopped mushrooms is a great idea! I first came across this in the Bosh Chilli recipe and I’ve never looked back. The ground-up mushrooms take on a very similar texture to mince and add a rich umami flavour to the dish. It’s perfect as a meat substitute in chilli as the beans provide the protein and heaviness to the meal so you don’t even miss the meat!
- Aubergine: This can either be chopped into small cubes and pan-fried with all the other vegetables or you can roast the aubergine for 45 minutes-1 hour and then chopped it up. It has such an earthy rich flavour that it bulks out sauces and is particularly good when used in bolognese and lasagne.
Best cuisines to ‘veganise’
I have found that Indian and Mexican food are the best cuisines to cross over to ‘the plant side.’ This is because spice and flavour are at the heart of each dish and these flavours transfer well to vegetables. Better still, they are super easy to make if you have a few staple ingredients in the house (including a good spice rack!)
Curry in a hurry!
First, let’s talk curry. Why do we love it so much? Perhaps because it’s rich and saucy and packed full of spicy flavours. Do you have a ‘staple’ curry that you always order? For me, nothing beats a tikka masala. It’s the perfect balance between spiciness and creaminess. Most curries come with a choice of chicken, lamb or prawns but if you think about it, the meat isn’t the star of the show, it’s just something that you’ve grown up eating and has, therefore, become habitual. You will be surprised how much you will still love curry once you have replaced the meat with plant-based alternatives.
Better yet, as long as you have a few key spices as well as some kitchen staples like tinned tomatoes, coconut milk, tomato paste and an onion at your disposal you can make a kick-ass vegan curry by using up any leftover veg you have lying around. Then choose a meat substitute from the list below and you’re good to go! My favourites are:
- Chickpeas: I buy canned. Just rinse them off and throw them into the pot once you’ve added the spices and onions. You can pan-fry them before adding the sauce ingredients to give them a nuttier flavour or else throw them in once the liquid has been added! Don’t forget to save the aquafaba (chickpea juice) for your baking! It is a perfect egg replacement and if you know you won’t use it within a couple of days pop it into ice cube trays.
- Aubergine: This works well in tomato-based curries like Rogan Josh or Tikka Masala. I like to roast it first for 45 mins (200 degrees Celsius) as it has a nice earthy flavour. But equally, you could chop it up and throw it in the pot if you’re pressed for time!
- Green Canned Jackfruit: This versatile fruit can be found in so many supermarkets now. It has a hardy texture, isn’t sweet and works well in many dishes. Again, I like to roast it in the oven for 40 minutes tossed in spices before adding it the curry but equally if you’re feeling lazy just throw it in the pot!
- Potatoes: I love sweet potato but the hubby likes white potato so sometimes I use both!
- Butternut squash/Pumpkin: This adds a delightful sweetness and best suits milder curries like korma.
- Tofu: Use hard tofu (packaged in water). Drain it, wrap it in a tea towel and press it between something heavy for at least 10 minutes to get as much water out as possible (I put lots of books on top of it!) Then if you like it a little crispy, pan-fry before adding it to the curry sauce. At this point, you could also season it with some soy sauce if you’d like it salty or roll
- in cornflour if you want it extra crispy! If you’re pushed for time simply press it and then chop it into cubes and add it straight to the curry pot.
- Lentils: I have recently discovered the deliciousness of dahl and there is no turning back for me! It is easy to make, packed with flavour and full of protein. I can highly recommend my Dahl recipe (originally taken from Bish Bash Bosh). When served with easy roti flatbreads or garlic naan it feels like a real treat! It’s such a winner in our house that my husband even requested it as his birthday dinner. 😀
Mexican Madness!
Mexican food looks great when given a vegan makeover. This is because it relies heavily on spices and also features guacamole and beans; you can’t get much more vegan friendly than that! I was nervous when I first started cooking this for my husband Nick as he was never a big fan of Mexican food anyway and I didn’t know how he would react when I replaced his fish tacos and pulled pork with vegetables! He ate the entire meal in silence (never a good sign) but on reaching the end he declared how much he enjoyed it (and I nearly fell off my chair with shock!) He has been a convert ever since. And because it is so easy to make, we have Mexican food nearly every week. Here are my favourite meat substitutions:
- Green Canned Jackfruit: If you haven’t tried it already I urge you to make my easy Pulled Jackfruit Recipe. Double the recipe because trust me, you will want leftovers! I made this for my meat-eating friends for a dinner party and it disappeared within minutes! Perfect to use in corn tacos, fajitas or even in a burrito.
- Tempeh: This is made from soy but is less processed than tofu and is packed with protein. Crumble it into a pan with a Mexican spice mix (cumin, paprika, ground coriander, chilli powder, garlic salt) and fry it like mince. I challenge any meat-eater to know the difference! Perfect for tacos or nachos and you can always add a can of refried or black beans to bulk it out even more! If you can’t find tempeh, you can substitute it for soy mince.
- Cauliflower: I used to despise cauliflower as I thought it was broccoli’s super boring cousin. Well, not anymore!! It absorbs Mexican flavours beautifully. Cut into small florets, toss it with spices (cumin, paprika, ground coriander, chilli powder, garlic salt) and roast in the oven for 20 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius. Alternatively, coat it in breadcrumbs (toss with oil and spices first or make a batter using plant-based milk and flour and then roll in breadcrumbs) before roasting. Perfect to use in tacos, salads or fajitas!
- Mushrooms: The other day I had some leftover mushrooms so I chopped them, coated them in spices, batter and breadcrumbs (see above) and roasted them for 20 minutes. They were to die for! We had them in corn tacos with salsa and guacamole but you could add them to a burrito or a Mexican salad or serve them as a starter with a sweet chilli dipping sauce!
- Chickpeas: If you’re short on time just open up a can of chickpeas, rinse thoroughly and then toss in a little olive oil and spices (cumin, paprika, ground coriander, chilli powder, garlic salt) and pan-fry for 10 minutes or so! They are perfect with salsa, beans and guacamole either in a tortilla wrap, taco shell or salad.
- Lentils: Another super easy substitute is to open up a can of lentils and pan-fry for a few minutes with spices. Just make sure to rinse the lentils first!
- Beans: It can’t get much easier than opening up a tin or two of beans and throwing them in a pot for a few minutes! Refried beans or black beans are my favourites but you can use any beans! Toss with some spices or add in chopped tomatoes, red onion and stock to make it a bean salsa.
I must admit, I was amazed at how little I missed the sour cream and cheese when I started to veganise my Mexican dishes. Maybe it’s because I always have plenty of guac on hand and the meals are so flavoursome that they leave me utterly satisfied. Don’t forget though, you can always use soy yoghurt to replace the sour cream and vegan cheese if old habits die hard. 😉
Hopefully you have enjoyed these tips about how you can begin your vegan journey and not compromise on taste! Believe me, a whole world of delicious food awaits you at the next platform. Just have the courage to jump onboard! I’ll save you a seat. 😀🌱
Ready to start cooking? Check out some of my recipes or learn how to re-stock your kitchen by visiting my Pantry Staples page. Want some more recipe inspiration? Check out my Resources page.
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