Nine easy vegan recipes to try, so you can boast about going vegan ‘that one time’

Every year, thousands of people across the UK try Veganuary. It's when you avoid meat, fish, dairy, eggs and honey for the whole month of January.

For the most part, people do it for either health or environmental reasons. But it doesn't have to be hard. Going vegan can be easy, cheap and delicious!

You really don't have to deprive yourself, as anything can be 'veganised'. Pancakes, Ice Cream, Creamy Pasta, Tacos – you name it. So, try some of my recipes to veganise some of your favourite meals:

Spicy Tacos

Ingredients:

3 Tortilla Wraps, ½ Avocado, 50 g Corn, 150 g Mushrooms, 1 Can Chickpeas, 5 tbsp. Tomato Paste, 150 g Cherry Tomatoes, Parsley, Hemp Seed Dressing (5 tbsp. each of Hemp Seeds and Water; 2 tbsp. each of Nutritional Yeast and Lemon Juice; Pinch of Sea Salt; 1 Clove of Garlic), Olive Oil.

Method:

– Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté the thinly sliced mushrooms until golden.

– Once done, remove the mushrooms and add the frozen corn kernels to lightly roast them until they develop a nice char-grill.

– Meanwhile, drain and rinse a can of chickpeas before adding it to a pot with 3 tbsp. of tomato paste, a dash of water, cherry tomatoes and spices (I used chili powder, paprika, sea salt, garlic powder, cumin, red pepper flakes and onion powder). Allow this to simmer until it thickens.

– For the hemp dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

– Finely chop the herbs and also cut the avocado.

– Lastly, lightly fry the tortillas in the pan over high heat until golden.

– Assemble everything and enjoy!

Chickpea Masala

Ingredients

1 Can Chickpeas, 1 Can Chopped Tomatoes, 2 tbsp. Tomato Paste, 1 Red Onion, 1 Clove of Garlic, Spices (Paprika, Cumin, Coriander, Turmeric, Sea Salt, Ground Black Pepper), Fresh Parsley, Olive Oil.

Method:

– Finely chop the onion and garlic before adding these to a pot over medium heat with a splash of olive oil until the onion turns slightly translucent.

– Add the spices (recommend 1 tsp. each but can do it to taste!) and stir them in.

– Then, add all remaining ingredients except the parsley to the pot.

– Reduce the heat and let it simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

– Serve with a side of basmati rice and top with some fresh parsley.

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

Ingredients

1 Portion of Penne, 150 g Mushrooms, 150 g Cherry Tomatoes, 50 g Corn, 30 g Kale, Pumpkin Sauce (300 g Butternut squash, 50 g Cashews, 2 tbsp. Vegetable Broth, 40 g Sundried Tomatoes, 2 tbsp. Nutritional Yeast, Dash of Water), Olive Oil.

Method

– Chop the pumpkin into chunks and steam it in vegetable broth until tender.

– Add it to a blender together with all the other sauce ingredients.

– Add as much broth to reach the desired sauce consistency you want and season to taste.

– Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to the instructions.

– Also, sauté the chopped mushroom and tomatoes in olive oil in a pan over medium heat.

– Once done, remove the mushrooms and tomatoes, and add the frozen corn kernels to lightly roast them until they develop a nice char-grill.

– Lastly, steam the kale before combining everything and enjoying it!


Loaded Sweet Potato Nachos

Ingredients

2 Large Sweet Potatoes, ½ Avocado, 1 Can of Mixed Beans in Spicy Tomato Sauce, 30 g Kale, 50 g Corn, 2 Salad Tomatoes, Hemp Seed Dressing (5 tbsp. each of Hemp Seeds and Water; 2 tbsp. each of Nutritional Yeast and Lemon Juice; Pinch of Sea Salt; 1 Clove of Garlic), Olive Oil.

Method

– Preheat the oven to 220°C.

– Meanwhile, cut the sweet potatoes into thin slices of approximately 0.5 cm.

– Line a tray with baking paper, placing all the slices onto it and sprinkle with olive oil.

– Bake them in the oven for roughly 20 minutes until they become nice and crispy.

– Meanwhile, add the frozen corn kernels to a pan over medium heat to lightly roast them until they develop a nice char-grill.

– For the hemp dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

– Chop the tomatoes and avocado and lightly steam the kale.

– Once the potato nachos are done, assemble everything, season to taste and enjoy!

Falafel and Fries

Ingredients

3 Medium Potatoes, Spices for Potatoes (Paprika, Onion Powder, Sea Salt, Chili Powder), Olive Oil, 1 Can of Chickpeas, 15 g Fresh Parsley, ½ White Onion, 1 Clove of Garlic, 4 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour, 2 tbsp. Tahini, Spices for Falafel (1 tsp. Sea Salt, 1 tsp. Cumin, 1 tsp. Ground Coriander, 1 tsp. Black Pepper), Olive Oil.

Method

– For the falafel, finely chop the onion, garlic and parsley before mixing them in a food processor.

– Add all other ingredients for the falafel (chickpeas, flour, tahini, spices) to the processor and combine them thoroughly until it becomes similar to a paste consistency. Adjust seasonings to taste. Cover and set the mixture aside in the fridge for an hour so that it can become firm.

– Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C and cut the potatoes into wedges of approximately 1.5 cm.

– In a bowl, combine the potato wedges with the spices and 1 tbsp, of olive oil and ensure they are evenly coated. Line a tray with baking paper, placing all the wedges onto it before baking them in the oven for roughly 30 minutes until they become nice and crispy.

– Once the falafel mixture has become firm, remove the mixture from the refrigerator and form small falafel discs using your hands.

– Heat a large frying pan over medium heat with olive oil before cooking the falafel on either side until they develop a nice colour.

– Here, the falafel and fries are served with a tomato & mango salsa, avocado, kale and ketchup but you can have them with anything!

Cinnamon Pancakes

Ingredients

100 g All Purpose Flour, 150 ml Plantbased Milk, 1 Chia Egg (1 tbsp. Chia Seeds with 3 tbsp. Water), 1 tsp. Baking Powder, 1 tbsp. Coconut Sugar, 2 tbsp. Cinnamon.

Method

– To make the chia egg, combine the chia seeds with the water in a small dish and mix thoroughly before allowing the mixture to thicken.

– Then, mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

– Place a non-stick pan on medium heat and warm the pan surface up.

– Once it is heated up, pour the batter into the pan in the desired size. When bubbles start to form, it is time to flip the pancake!

– Repeat this until all the batter is gone.

– Here the pancakes are served with coconut yoghurt, vegan chocolate granola, fruits, and maple syrup!

Waffles

Ingredients

100 g All Purpose Flour, 150 ml Plantbased Milk, 1 tsp. Baking Powder, 1 tbsp. Coconut Sugar, 2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract, A Pinch of Salt, 1 tbsp. Olive Oil.

Method

– In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients.

– Then, add all wet ingredients and combine the mixture well to ensure there are no lumps in the batter.

– Pre-heat the waffle iron before pouring the batter into it.

– Cook the waffles according to the waffle iron’s directions until they become crisp. Here the waffles are topped with soy yoghurt, chocolate granola, fruits and maple syrup!

Comforting Oatmeal

Ingredients

100 g Rolled Oats, 300 ml Plantbased Milk, 1 tbsp. Cinnamon, 1 Ripe Banana, 1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract (optional).

Method

– Add the oatmeal, cinnamon, and milk to a pot over medium heat. Meanwhile, mash the banana in a small bowl.

– Once the oats have started to absorb some of the liquid, reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in the mashed banana and vanilla extract.

– Keep stirring until the oatmeal reaches the consistency you like.

– Add your toppings of choice! Here the oatmeal is topped with berry compote (just heated up mixed frozen berries with a splash of water and sugar), fruit, dairy-free chocolate spread and cacao nibs.

Acai Bowl

Ingredients

250 g Frozen Mixed Berries, 2 Frozen Bananas, 2 tbsp. Acai Powder or 1 Frozen Acai Packet, 100 ml Liquid (Plantbasd Milk, Coconut Water, Fruit Juice or Water).

Method

– Take the frozen fruit out of the freezer and let them thaw for a few minutes.

– Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

– Add more liquid if a runnier consistency is wanted.

– Transfer the acai into a bowl and add the toppings of choice. Here the acai bowl is topped with toasted coconut chips, and fruits!