I remember when a meringue was still the holy grail of vegan kitchen experiments, before aquafaba was discovered (almost simultaneously, in different kitchens) 🧁 Since then, it’s become a must-have in vegan kitchens everywhere—and thank goodness it’s so accessible! Just a can of chickpeas (or other beans) will give you the gift of this magical bean water.
Vegan Malva Pudding
You know that feeling you get when you tuck into a familiar childhood favourite? Mmmm that is what malva pudding gives me, every time!
Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Who doesn’t love the classic combo of lemony tang with poppyseed crunch?
Where to find ‘specialty’ vegan ingredients
Have you graduated from the “regular” categories of plant-based foods (vegetables, fruits, beans, grains)? Are you venturing into more creative vegan culinary pursuits? If so, you’ll need to start looking out for some specialty “vegan” ingredients that might be less common in more traditional recipes. It can be tricky to find these items, for the very reason that they’re not …
Milk those plants
Milk. If I had known the lengths to which the dairy industry goes to convince us that we can’t live without it, the rebel in me would definitely have sought out alternatives sooner. Soy milk was the first ‘milk substitute’ I learnt about—and it’s still my favourite option: it’s high in protein, has a low environmental footprint compared to other …
Aquafaba: the best vegan egg substitute
I get a lot of blank stares when I mention this ingredient, which is understandable: it’s quite a recent discovery by a French food blogger in 2014. This revelation was transformative for the vegan culinary scene, opening up a world of possibilities: suddenly, the elusive meringue was achievable, along with chocolate mousse, macarons, nougat, ice cream and marshmallows. What is it? It’s …
Who gets to use the word ‘meat’?
I saw a comment on a social media thread recently where someone expressed confusion at the term ‘vegan meat’—as though it was an oxymoron. He’s not an outlier: probably most people around the world refer to meat as animal flesh. But it’s not the only meaning for the word, as you’ll see. And it’s definitely not the only word that’s …
Vegan baking substitution guide
I’m going to share a secret with you. The best way to create great vegan recipes is to take your favourite non-vegan ones, the ones that were handed down from your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents… and swap out the animal-based ingredients for vegan alternatives. Most of the time you can get away with straightforward swaps (e.g. cow’s milk can pretty much …
How to substitute eggs in baking
Oh, eggs. The baking ingredient with the most complex and interesting properties: no wonder pastry chefs everywhere rely on them for their beautiful creations. But fear not, vegan culinary geniuses have cracked the secrets*. The trick is to understand why chicken’s eggs play such a big role in baking, and then to find egg substitutes that best mimic the most important …
What every vegan kitchen should have
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve mentioned nooch or miso only to be met with blank stares. While they’re by no means staples, and I can definitely live without them, here are some magical foodie discoveries that make plant-based cooking so much more interesting and flavourful (I’ll assume that you already have the staples: whole grains, vegetables, legumes, fruit, nuts/seeds): Nutritional yeastAka nooch. Of course, the first …
7 tips to crowd out the meat & dairy
Heading towards a plant-based diet? Maybe the idea of cutting out familiar foods is overwhelming, especially if you’re used to eating meat, dairy or eggs daily and the thought of eating only plants (eep!) is a scary one. I get it: ‘cutting out’ foods can feel a bit like you’re depriving yourself—that your new diet is some kind of punishment, …