Louise Palmer-Masterton, founder of Stem + Glory, shares her tips for becoming a vegan three days a week
More and more people are describing themselves as ‘Flexitarian’. They’re not fully vegan but are recognising that it is better for health and environment to eat more plant-based foods.
So, here are my top tips to ‘veganise’ your store cupboard and fridge and keep you vegan 3 days a week.
1. Get some non-dairy milk. There are so many to choose from now. Froth it into your latte and you really won’t notice the difference. It is also great for sauces.
2. Get some Engevita flakes. It’s fantastic for adding a cheesy flavour to vegan food. It also contains B12 which is recommended for vegans.
3. For breakfasts get some vegan yoghurt. Alpro have really upped their game and their vegan yogurts are delicious. As well as eating it plain we also use it for baking as it helps to bind vegan cakes.
4. Get some asian condiments – soy sauce, hoisin, rice vinegar, limes, vegan thai curry paste, then you are all set for stir fries and curries.
5. Get some hummus. This go-to vegan staple is a life-saver that you can buy almost anywhere. It is a complete protein and works as a dip, in sandwiches, wraps or just with salad.
6. Vegetable staples for vegan cooking are, in my opinion, broccoli, courgettes, carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, aubergines, avocados, potatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach, onions and garlic.
7. Vegan vegetable stock – some vegetable stocks contain lactose, so be sure to check the ingredients. Once you have a decent vegan stock, you are all set for tagines, stews and soups.
8. For convenience, get some tinned chickpeas and beans.
9. Get a mix of seeds – pumpkin, sunflower, sesame. Roast or toast them. Not only will this add lots of flavour to your food, it’s also good to add balanced protein in your diet.
10. If you’re a snacker or like toast, you’ll need some vegan spread. Koko and Pure are well known brands sold in all major supermarkets.
All you’ll need to do then is just simply drop the meat, fish, eggs and dairy three days a week and substitute with vegetables!
Louise Palmer-Masterton is founder of multiple award-winning restaurant Stem + Glory; a hip and trendy but accessible plant-based restaurant, serving delicious gourmet vegan food from locally sourced ingredient 100% made on site. www.stemandglory.uk
