Plant-based diets are gaining popularity for various reasons: health benefits, allergies, sustainability, budget constraints, morals etc. If your New Year’s resolution was to cut down on meat and/or dairy and you’ve been struggling to stick to it, I hope this article can help. Not everything I’ve listed is a meat/dairy “substitute” — you may be well-versed with cooking with some of these items already — but using combinations of these items is a good start for vegan cooking. Start small and work your way towards consistency. Remember, it’s okay to slip up. Get back on track for the next meal and don’t beat yourself up.
- Beans
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Beans aren’t a stereotypical “broke-student” staple for no reason — they are very nutritious,versatile and cheap (of course). Chili, baked beans on toast, rice with beans and burritos are all meals containing beans as a major ingredient. Cannellini bean purée can be used to make salad dressings, as a substitution for mayonnaise. If you’re feeling adventurous, try making black bean burgers.
- Other legumes
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This means various types of lentils, chickpeas and peas. All of these can be bought inexpensively in bulk and stored for a long time. Dal is an Indian lentil stew that is very healthy and easy to make. You can also make lentil pasta salads, chickpea pesto salads/wraps, chickpea curry and hummus.
- Potatoes
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Sweet potatoes are a healthier alternative to regular potatoes, it’s helpful to stock up on both nevertheless. Toss some diced potatoes in a mixture of olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika and bake until slightly crispy and you have an easy and delicious side dish or snack bites. They can also be used in stews, salads and curries.
- Grains
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Apart from your regular white and brown rice, try quinoa and couscous to change things up. Stir-fried veggies with either couscous or quinoa is a simple and delicious meal.
- Tofu
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Tofu is a great source of protein and has several other health benefits. It is perhaps the best meat substitute. It does not carry a strong flavour of its own, so it can absorb whatever seasonings you cook it with. Different tofu textures allow you a great number of possibilities of dishes:
Soft – scrambled (like scrambled eggs), ricotta, dips.
Medium/Firm – baked or fried and cooked with stir-fried noodles and/or veggies, Buddha bowls, curries.
Extra-firm – grilled and/or deep-fried to make nuggets, patties or simply snack bites.
- Tempeh
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Similar to tofu, tempeh is a soy-based protein. You can also check out seitan, a meat substitute made of wheat gluten.
- Veggies
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This may come across as a no-brainer, but it’s important to figure out just how well the versatility of different veggies works out in your favour, especially if you’re aiming for a meat substitution. Cauliflower is good for making buffalo “wings”. Mushrooms can make delicious burger patties or nuggets. For versatility, you can almost never go wrong with bell peppers. Onions will add immense flavour to any savoury dish. You could switch things up with carrots, zucchini, purple cabbage, beets, avocados or cucumbers. Combine all of these ingredients for an amazing feast.
- Tomato purée
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This is one of the most important things in my kitchen. Not only is it a base for pasta dishes, soups, stews and curries, but it can also be used to make fancier meals like homemade pizza.
- Canned coconut milk
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The easiest way to add some creaminess to your dish. Making curry? Add coconut milk. Want your pasta sauce to be richer? Add coconut milk. Feeling mashed potatoes? Use some coconut milk instead of the traditional sour cream.
- Nutritional yeast
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This is the same species of yeast as Baker’s yeast, but it’s grown differently to make it a food product. It is fortified with vitamin B12 and other minerals and adds a wonderful cheesy flavour to food. The most common way to make non-dairy cheese is by using nutritional yeast, frequently paired with cashews.
- Cashews
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Straight off the bat, cashews are pretty expensive and therefore not ideal for a student budget. But they’re delicious and make for a great treat from time to time. They can be used as a creamy base for non-dairy cheese, cheesecakes, ricotta and other heavy cream-based sauces.
- Maple syrup
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A classic sweetener in vegan meals and baked goods. Agave syrup is a great alternative.
- Flax and chia seeds
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Ground flax seeds are a common and highly effective binder in baking. Chia seeds can be used the same way and also make fantastic breakfast puddings, which taste delicious with the fresh fruit of your choice.
- Plant-based milk and other substitutions
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Almost every superstore offers plant-based substitutes for meat and dairy products. You can choose between almond, coconut, soy, cashew, pea or oat milk. There are also a wide variety of cheeses, dips, cream and yogurts available. Personally, my favourite brand is Daiya.
Some of my go-to meals for busy days are buddha bowls, soups, pasta and curries.
Here are some more resources and easy recipes to help you! Elavegan, Nora Cooks, Six Vegan Sisters, No Meat Athlete.
These are just some basic ingredients to get started with. Vegan cooking can seem daunting and limiting when you first start out, but as you try out more recipes, you’ll definitely realize that that’s not the case. So, happy cooking and remember the wise words of an anonymous person, “good FOOD is good MOOD!”