What prevents YOU from trying a Vegan lifestyle? Our recent research revealed that some people have these perceptions about Vegan food:
“Hard to find/buy, bland, boring, expensive, difficult to prepare, can only be made from scratch…”
Our research also showed that people tend to put the following limitations on themselves:
“Lack of time, fear of missing favourites (cheese, in particular!), few cooking skills, can’t change old habits…”
Are these YOUR perceptions and limitations? The accessibility of fresh ingredients and convenience products is now absolutely incredible! Some non-Vegan foods will always be difficult to replicate but contemporary Vegan alternatives have really improved and you don’t need to be a masterchef to make delicious meals. If you’ve eaten meat, fish, dairy and eggs for years, then let us show you how, with just a few simple swaps, you can easily ‘Veganise’ your meals today!
EASY VEGAN SWAPS!
MEAT
The benefits to you of avoiding it: No antibiotic and chemical residues from intensive farming systems, no diseased meat worries, no uncertainty as to the type of animal (e.g. horse), no contamination with food
poisoning pathogens, no cholesterol. Plant-based proteins can have a higher protein content, more fiber, a better nutritional composition and they cost far less!
Vegan alternative brands:
Supermarket own brands, Frys, Goodlife, Linda McCartney, Vegusto, VBites (includes Cheatin, Vegi Deli & Redwoods), Wheaty.
Other options include:
Mushrooms – good for stirfries, Mexican dishes, pies, curries, casseroles and wellingtons, crispy duck and pulled pork (shiitakes).
Lentils – good for shepherds/cottage pie, nut roasts, curries and burgers.
Beans – good for adding to soups, stews, chillis, curries and burgers.
Tofu – good for marinading, grilling, stirfries, kebabs, curries and scrambling.
Tempeh (a firmer soya product) – good for marinading, grilling, stirfries, kebabs, curries and casseroles.
Seitan (braised gluten) – good for marinading, grilling, stirfries, kebabs, making into burgers, schnitzels and other breaded items.
FISH
The benefits to you of avoiding it: No antibiotic and chemical residues from intensive farming systems, no diseased fish worries, no uncertainty as to the type of fish (e.g. tilapia for cod/haddock), no
contamination with food poisoning pathogens, no toxins such as mercury.
Vegan alternative brands:
Tesco veggie fingers, V-bites (fish-style steaks, cakes and ‘tuna’ paté).
Other options include:
Aubergine slices – battered or breaded and baked or fried.
Mashed chickpeas can act as a tuna flake alternative – particularly with vegan mayo and sweetcorn in a sandwich.
Firm tofu marinated in seaweed flakes then battered and fried can have a real taste of the sea!
Fish sauce can be replaced with salty or flavour-rich alternatives such as soy sauce, miso and mushroom ketchup.
DAIRY
The benefits to you of avoiding it:
No issues with the ill effects of lactose intolerance, no antibiotic residue from intensive farming systems, no growth hormones (both naturally ocurring and those given artificially to increase milk yield), no
health-damaging cholesterol, no contamination with food poisoning pathogens, no contamination with pus, no added chemicals such as titanium dioxide (used to make cow’s
milk whiter), no acidification in the body leading to osteoporosis.
MILK
Vegan alternative brands:
Supermarket own brands, Almond Breeze, Alpro, Eco-Mil, Good Hemp, Koko, Oatley, Provamel, Rebel Kitchen, Rude Health, Vive Soy.
Other options include
Plant based drinks including soya, oat, rice, hemp, coconut, almond, hazelnut, quinoa.
You can also make your own milk, such as almond, at home.
CREAM
Vegan alternative brands:
Alpro, Oatley, Provamel, Whiptop.
Other options include:
Soya cream, oat cream, coconut cream and home-made cashew nut cream.
YOGHURT
Vegan alternative brands:
Supermarket ‘freefrom’ own brands, Alpro, Coyo, Joya, Sojade.
Other options include:
You can use a plant milk and apple cider vinegar to make a buttermilk/thin yoghurt mixture.
BUTTER
Vegan alternative brands:
Biona, Pure, Stork (hard gold block only), Suma, Vitalite.
Other options include:
Nut butters such as peanut, cashew and almond or mashed avocado, hummus and oils (hemp, rapeseed, and olive are good).
CHEESE
Vegan alternative brands:
Supermarket own brands, Cherub Dairy-free (Bellissimo ‘parmesan’), Good Carma Cheese, Mozzarisella, Sheese (Bute Island), Toffuti, Vbites (Cheezly),Veganic Pizza Cheese, Vegourmet (Jeezo), Vegusto, Violife.
Other options include:
Blended nuts (such as almonds or walnuts) with nutritional yeast and salt added for a parmesan substitute.
Sprinklings of nutritional yeast flakes.
Home made Vegan cheeses.
Nutritional yeast flakes plus mustard powder and tumeric for ‘cheesy’ sauces.
EGGS
The benefits to you of avoiding them:
No issues with allergies, no antibiotic residue from intensive farming systems, no health-damaging cholesterol, no contamination with food poisoning pathogens
such as salmonella, no contamination with added dyes in chicken feed, no fishy flavour from hens being fed fishmeal.
Vegan alternative brands:
Ener-G, Orgran (you can even make meringues out of this), Vegg. For egg-free mayonnaise try Granovita, Plamil, Tiger Tiger.
Other options include:
Firm tofu for scrambled ‘eggs’.
Silken tofu for quiches.
Ground flax or chia seeds added to water for baking (good for binding mixtures).
Extra baking powder or bicarb for baking
(good for rising).
Soya protein powder (good as a thickener in sauces and adds extra protein) or agar agar (again, good as a thickening agent).
Ripe banana or apple sauce (seem to act well as both binding and moistening agents).
HONEY
The benefits of avoiding it:
Certain bees are in decline and we need them to help pollinate our crops! Bees need to keep their own honey for
maximum fitness and disease resistance. Honey alternatives are lower in calories and have a lower GI value, so they are better for regulating blood sugar levels and diabetes, for example.
Vegan alternative brands:
Crazy Jack, Groovy Food Company, Meridian, Sweet Freedom.
Other options include:
Agave syrup (light and dark versions), maple syrup, date syrup, rice syrup, fruit sugar syrup, golden syrup and treacle.