hamlyn all colour cookbook

200

vegan recipes

Emma Frost & Nichola Palmer

How to use this ebook

Select one of the chapters from the main contents list and you will be taken to a list of all the recipes covered in that chapter.

Alternatively, jump to the index to browse recipes by ingredient.

Look out for linked text (which is underlined and/or in a different colour) throughout the ebook that you can select to help you navigate between related recipes.

introduction

Eating a healthy vegan diet

Making life easier

Vegan alternatives

Wholesome vegan options

Checking food labels.

Eating a diet that is totally plant based, without animal foods or by-products, has never been easier and is no longer the quirky preference only of those living an alternative lifestyle. Most major supermarkets and high street health-food shops sell a good selection of dairy-free milks, creams and spreads as well as seeds and whole grains, so all the ingredients you need can be incorporated into your normal shopping routine.

If you are contemplating becoming vegan, have been vegan for years or will be cooking for a vegan friend or member of the family, whatever your situation we hope you find inspiration in these easy recipes for every occasion. Being free from animal products, these recipes are also suitable for those with a dairy and/or egg intolerance or allergy.

Eating a healthy vegan diet

More and more of us are turning to a vegan diet, whether on the grounds of personal health or animal welfare, and it can be something you can introduce and adopt gradually. You may wish to start with one week a month and then increase your vegan eating pattern over a period of time to reach a level that you are comfortable with, or you may be happy to become completely vegan from the start. You may also find it a good weight-loss diet – a diet rich in whole grains and fibre from fruit and vegetables will keep you feeling fuller for longer with less temptation to snack between meals.

The key to a healthy vegan diet is to eat a variety of foods, including fruit, vegetables, leafy greens, whole grains, nuts, seeds and pulses, to make every plateful of food a colourful one, which will indicate you are well on the way to achieving a good balance of nutrients.

A vegan diet is not without treats though – just turn to the Breads and Baking section and also the Desserts section section for a range of delicious cakes, muffins, breads, biscuits and puddings.

The main nutrients for a healthy vegan diet are found in the following foods:

Protein

Soya is the best source of protein, containing all the essential amino acids needed by the body. Tofu, made from fermented soya beans, is a good meat substitute and can be cooked in stews and stir-fries, grilled and marinated, as well as crumbled to make a decent replacement for scrambled eggs. Other good sources of protein are peas, edamame (soya) beans, peanuts, chickpeas, grains such as quinoa (pronounced keenwa) and wheat, nuts and seeds.

Vitamin B12

Found in yeast extract (Marmite) and often added to breakfast cereals and plant milks.

Calcium

Added to plant milks and found in green vegetables, whole grains and bread.

Vitamin D

Needed for the absorption of calcium, your body makes its own vitamin D from sunlight, so it is important to get outdoors for a walk every day if possible, but vitamin D is also added to dairy-free spreads.

Iron

Good sources are lentils, tofu, kidney beans, chickpeas, quinoa and dried fruits such as dried apricots and figs and prunes.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Usually found in oily fish, but plant sources are leafy green vegetables, nuts and oils such as flaxseed (linseed), olive, avocado, groundnut and rapeseed.

Making life easier

Keeping a well-stocked store cupboard with a variety of canned beans and tomatoes, whole grains, seeds, nuts and oils, and a freezer of vegetables and fruits will help you to maintain healthy eating habits with little effort.

The cost of nuts, seeds and oils can all add up, so make sure you keep track of the best-before dates, as the oils in all these products will deteriorate and turn rancid after a while. If you buy in bulk, nuts and seeds can be frozen to keep them fresh. Toasting nuts and seeds in a dry frying pan will refresh them and bring out their flavour.

Canned beans and tomatoes have a long shelf life and have as much nutritional value as dried (beans) and fresh (tomatoes), so keep a good supply for rustling up a quick chilli, soup or pasta sauce.

Frozen vegetables are a great time saver, prepared and chopped ready to use, and because they are frozen within hours of picking, they often contain more vitamins than fresh, especially if the latter are a few days old.

Fresh herbs give instant colour to cooked grains, add freshness to salads and flavour to salad dressing and sauces. Grow your own if you can, as they are so much cheaper and are there to hand whenever you need them. They don’t take up much space – even a windowsill will do. Just keep them well watered and they will last a long time. If you do buy them in packs, any leftovers can be chopped and frozen in ice cube trays topped up with water or oil. Just pop them out straight into the pan as you need them.

Vegan alternatives

There are lots of options to choose from when looking for non-animal-based alternatives to cooking and serving staples, so take the opportunity to explore and experiment to find which you like best for different uses.

Milk

There is a wealth of different dairy-free milks available in both chilled and long-life forms including soya, almond, hazelnut, coconut, rice and oat. The choice mainly comes down to personal taste and flavour preference as well as any intolerances or allergies, such as nut, you may have.

Some plant milks come in sweetened and unsweetened versions, so check the label before you buy – if it doesn’t state unsweetened on the pack, it is usually sweetened. Coconut milk with its mild coconutty flavour is ideal for making rice pudding and for creamy-style curries. Rice milk is one of the thinner milks with a light flavour, good for pouring over cereals and making coffee, but one of the least stable when heated.

Nut, soya and oat milks are good for baking and cooking, as they add a creamy richness to muffins, cakes and sauces.

Cream

Non-dairy cream is usually made from soya, oats, coconut or nuts, and just as in the dairy versions they are richer than the milks. Good for pouring over desserts and for making creamy savoury and sweet sauces for pasta, pies, custard and ice cream.

Cheese

Made from blends of potato starch, vegetable oil and soya protein, dairy-free cheeses are available in mozzarella, Cheddar, Parmesan and Edam styles. Ready-grated dairy-free mozzarella is handy for sprinkling over pizzas, pasta bakes and jacket potatoes. Dairy-free cheeses are not so readily available in supermarkets, so a visit to a health-food shop or online website is required to source them.

Cooking fats and oils

Whey and buttermilk are often used in spreads made from olive oil and sunflower oil, so check that they are completely dairy-free before buying. Virgin coconut oil, which is solid at room temperature, is a healthy oil to use for baking and frying, as is rapeseed oil and sunflower oil. Extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil are delicious for drizzling over roasted vegetables and for making salad dressings.

Yogurt

Soya yogurt is the most widely available dairy-free yogurt in a choice of natural and vanilla-and fruit-flavoured versions. Natural is great for topping breakfast granola or for making savoury dips such as tzatziki with garlic, mint and cucumber to serve as a snack with raw vegetable sticks and wholemeal pitta breads or with spicy foods as a cooling relish.

Honey

As honey is a by-product from bees, it isn’t suitable for a vegan diet. A good alternative is agave nectar, a plant-based syrup, which is also sweeter than honey, so you can use less. Drizzle it straight from the squeezy jar over porridge or pancakes, or use in cooking. Maple syrup is another delicious alternative to honey with a slight caramel flavour, making it perfect for desserts and biscuits.

Eggs

You may think that cooking without eggs rules out cakes, muffins, pancakes, mayonnaise and custard in your life, but amazingly it doesn’t. It is possible to buy egg substitute from health-food shops, but for the recipes in this book eggs have been replaced with cider vinegar or lemon juice in cakes and muffins and baking powder in pancakes. You will be surprised how delicious they are and easy to make. For a creamy mayonnaise-style salad dressing, you can use silken tofu blended with lemon juice or a little vinegar.

Wholesome vegan options

Given that grains, pulses and seeds are a vital source of protein in a vegan diet, it makes sense to make the best of their considerable potential.

Whole grains and lentils

Whole grains contain more iron and B vitamins, and are richer in fibre and protein than refined ones, so are a preferable choice for a vegan diet. Grains such as quinoa, bulgar wheat, barley and spelt add a nutty flavour and plenty of texture to dishes such as risottos and salads and stuffings for vegetables. They are also an easy way to thicken soups and stews for a more substantial meal.

Protein-packed lentils make rich, warming casseroles and soups as well as salads and side dishes. Brown and green lentils tend to retain their shape when cooked and so are good for salads and stuffings, whereas red split lentils cook to a softer purée and therefore make an ideal thickener for soups and stews, and are used for making dhal.

Seeds

They may be tiny but seeds are packed with protein, fibre, iron, vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids, which means that they are well worth generously sprinkling over salads, pilau rice, risottos and breakfast cereals and mixing into bread dough and muffin mixes. Chia, sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, hemp and golden flaxseed (linseed) are all great nutrition and flavour boosters.

Checking food labels

When shopping, look for the Vegan Society logo or products that state that they are suitable for vegans on the packaging. If you are unsure whether an item is vegan, check the ingredients list for any of the following, in which case the product will be unsuitable:
Gelatine (made from animal bones), honey, whey (liquid left after milk has been curdled), cochineal (a pink colouring made from crushed insects), Quorn (suitable for vegetarians but not vegans, as it contains egg), Worcestershire sauce (contains anchovies), Thai fish sauce (made from fermented fish and shellfish), Thai curry paste (usually contains fish sauce), Bovril (made from beef), ghee in curries and naan breads (clarified butter)

‘Hidden’ non-vegan ingredients

The following products need a careful ingredients check, as they might catch you out:

Pasta, especially fresh pasta – check that it is egg free

Noodles – avoid egg noodles and choose rice noodles instead

Plain dark chocolate – may contain some milk

Beers, wines and cider – some are filtered using animal products

Vegetarian burgers and sausages – may contain eggs, milk or Quorn

Sweets and marshmallows – often made with gelatine

Cereal bars and breakfast cereals – may be sweetened with honey