It seems like everyone and their dog is going vegan. Once a little known dietary choice, veganism has well and truly gone mainstream. I for one am a huge supporter of this movement and hope that the trend is here to stay.
However, I totally understand that when you’re new to this way of eating, it can appear intimidating and overwhelming. I’ve been there, I’ve experienced that. So, I have pulled together my top tips to help you step into and simply the world of vegan eats. Whether you’re fully vegan, veggie or just incorporating more plant based meals into your diet, I hope these insights help you on your journey.
1. Take Off The Pressure. Often people assume that when you eat vegan meals they need to be gourmet standard or supremely healthy. Veganism can be associated with kale salads, cashew concoctions and green juice, when in reality it can be as simple as pasta with tomato sauce. Basic meals like sandwiches, porridge, smoothies and curries can very easily be “vegan-ised”. If you want to invest in a vegan cookbook then go for it, but I think you can get by just fine without one. Literally just pick one of your favourite meals e.g. a korma curry, and add “vegan” to your google respire search. There will be an abundance of simple, easy plant based methods to make your old favourites.
2. Get Preprepared Staples. There is no shame in using pre-made products. They can super nutritious and make making cooking up a wholesome meal a whole lot easier. You can get frozen fruit packs to pop in smoothies, which are a staple in my freezer. I also use tonnes of the Strong Roots frozen foods, they have staples like sweet potato, avocado halves, beetroot wedges and even veggie burgers which are not only tasty but affordable, convenient and packed full of goodness. I just cook them up and throw them together with more veggies, nuts, legumes and wholegrains to get a delicious plateful!
3. Double Up. Whenever you cook a meal such as a curry, stew, soup or even just some roasted veggies or boiled quinoa – double or triple your portion. Don’t eat it all at once! Just pop the excess in a tupperware and store it in the fridge or freezer. This means that next time you’re in a hurry you can grab a box of bean chilli or lentil dahl and tuck in with minimal cooking time. Also, when you’re throwing salads together you will have a supply of staples like cooked quinoa and veggies which you can easily add in! Simples.
4. Find Your Go-To Meals. Find your favourite quick meals which you can fall back on when you’re feeling lazy. For example, I love throwing together a microwavable pack of lentils with some steamed veggies and mashed avocado. It literally takes a maximum of 15 minutes and tastes amazing, with a good balance of micro and macro nutrients. I also love boiling some lentil pasta and stirring through some cooked chopped tomatoes and basil – the most simple but delicious combination. Experiment in the kitchen and find your go-to 15 minute meals. When you come home late at night you’ll be so grateful that you have them in your memory bank!
For more tips about how to eat a more plant based diet and to see my simple meals, head over to my youtube channel (link).
Happy eating!
Zanna x
Disclaimer: This blogpost is produced in collaboration with Strong Roots. I genuinely use and love their products, which you can find at Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose & Ocado.
