Fancy going vegan? (It can totally change your period!) Perhaps you’re tempted but need some foody inspiration.
This Veganuary our lovely team member Rachael has been testing out some cookbooks. Here are three of her favourites, including her top recipe picks from each book.
Vegan Goodness, Jessica Prescott
From the creator of the blog Whole Goodness this book explores some delicious vegan goodies with easy to follow recipes and aesthetically pleasing images that look good enough to eat.
I loved Jessica’s take on the delicious Baba Ganoush dip that’s perfect for dipping some veg, crackers or bread into. And it’s SO easy to make.
My favourite recipe from the book has to be the Super Simple Daal. The tasting team (my housemate and I) gave this a massive thumbs-up, so many rich flavours for such little work. I served this with poppadoms, but Jessica recommends her masala mash which sounds delicious. My only addition was a little bit of chilli powder for some added heat. Overall a very easy recipe which can be easily adapted by adding watever veggies you have in the fridge.
Check out Jessica’s food blog here: Mama Goodness
Feed Me Vegan, Lucy Watson
Former Made in Chelsea star Lucy Watson wrote her first Vegan cookbook this year. After turning Vegan two years ago, she found she was getting a bit bored of eating salads and wasn’t sure what else was out there.
I felt like this cookbook is perfect for people new to veganism as it has accessible and quick recipes. There is a section named ‘Feed me quickly’ which is perfect when you don’t want to be spending hours slaving over the stove. These recipes are simple, quick and often use standard store-cupboard ingredients, although many do contain meat and dairy substitutes.
What can sometimes seem daunting about going vegan is how many of our favourite treats contain meat and dairy, but this book has some yummy recipes for these comforting indulgences. This book was also voted one the best vegan cookbooks in the PETA Vegan Food Awards!
My favourite recipe has got to be the Mushroom Mac and Cheese. There’s an online version Laucy Watson’s Feed Me Vegan.
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Deliciously Ella, Ella Mills (Woodward)
Ella is not a fan of the word “vegan”, so this isn’t strictly a vegan cookbook. However, if you’re looking to move to a plant-based diet for health reasons then you should definitely get this. I loved that it presented a really positive attitude to changing your diet. Rather than feel like you are restricting what you eat, it actually makes you realise how many different ways you can get more fruit and veg into your diet. All of the recipes are super healthy and have easy to follow instructions, so the meals actually turn out tasty even for the worst of chefs (me).
My top pick from Deliciously Ella is the Sweet Potato Brownies (there’s a new and improved recipe on Deliciously Ella). They are perfectly sticky and crunchy at the same time! I also loved the coconut Thai curry.
My #veganuary summary
Going vegan has made me much more creative in the kitchen and switching just a few essentials to vegan alternatives like oat milk and sunflower spread means that a dairy-free white sauce or pancakes are no problem at all!
Whether it’s for animal welfare reasons, the environment, your health or for a new year’s challenge, I’d highly recommend everyone takes the veganuary pledge for a week/month/year!
What is Veganuary?
Veganuary is a charity aiming to inspire people to go vegan for the month of January and offers the support and guidance for a meat and animal produce free diet.
Check out the Veganuary starter kit for meal plans, nutrition guides, labelling info and eating out tips.
Have you discovered any new recipes or cookbooks this month? Share in the chat below!
