Often, when you tell people that you are vegan or vegetarian, they look at you as if you’ve grown two heads - it’s as if people can’t understand why you would choose to give up meat. The most common question that vegans and vegetarians get asked is whether or not they miss meat, followed by a question about whether meals are bland without it.

The answer, of course, is that no, meals aren’t bland due to a lack of meat. So if you are new to being vegan, don’t get put off by these types of questions because believe it or not, vegan food can be just as packed full of flavour as food which contains meat, dairy or fish.  In fact, it is even more full of flavour and colour!

If you're looking to lose weight then a vegan diet can help with this so long as you choose a predominantly plant-based diet and skip all the high sugar junk food options.  It's also possible to combine a vegan diet with intermittent fasting to really accelerate weight loss and other health benefits which you can find out more about by clicking here.

How to make vegan + vegetarian cooking easy

Want to know how to make vegan + vegetarian food taste even more amazing?  Then keep reading below for all the best tips and ideas.

Invest in the right tools

This isn’t necessarily just a tip for vegan cooking, but for all home cooking. 

Make sure you invest in the right tools. If you want to be able to make foods that are tasty and nutritious, you need the right tools. If your pots and pans are old and in bad condition, for instance, this could cause you to burn your food, spoiling the taste. Old pots and pans can also be dangerous, especially if their coating starts to rub off and ends up in your food.

So once your pots and pans have gone past their best, it’s best to consider replacing them with the safest and healthiest cookware for your kitchen.

If you like to cook quickly - or need to do so - then a food processor is a must. Food processors can chop, dice, and crush ingredients, making cooking healthy, homemade meals much easier. 

Always make sure you have a clean and safe food preparation area to work with, no matter what diet you are catering for. 

Make things quicker and easier for yourself with easy wipe clean surfaces like an easy to clean acrylic splashback which can ensure you have plenty of time to enjoy preparing the food, instead of spending too much time scrubbing dirty tiles and grout! 

By making sure you have a well equipped and organised kitchen that is easy to clean, cooking and preparing meals will be so much easier.  You will be able to enjoy vegan cooking instead of finding it a chore.

Pack lots of flavours into your meals

If you just cook with vegetables alone and nothing else, your food could be bland.  Unless you're like me and absolutely love the taste of fresh organic vegetables as they are! 

However, if you pack your meals with herbs, spices, stocks, and other flavours, you can ensure that your vegan meals are delicious. Any food, regardless of whether it contains meat or fish can be bland. What makes food taste good is cooking it properly and/or any ingredients that are added to it.

For vegan cooking inspiration, take a look online - there are plenty of recipes to choose from and even vegan family meal planners that won't look out of place in comparison to a meat-eaters planner.  You'll be surprised. 

From soups and risotto to pasta dishes and curries, there are plenty of vegan dishes that you can try. 

All your favourite meals can be made without meat. If you miss having meat to bulk meals out, perhaps Quorn or another meat-alternative could be worth trying, but limit the amount of processed alternatives you eat as you would with meat. 

Lentils are a natural way to bulk out food and highly nutritious.  Jackfruit works great in curries and shredded on top of flatbread pizzas.  Soy products are also great for extra texture.

Experiment

Cooking is all about experimenting, so be brave and try out some new ideas in the kitchen.

If you think that certain ingredients would go together, give it a try and see what the dish comes out like. Sometimes your experiments will end in disaster, other times they’ll be a success.

Be brave and take the time to experiment with new dishes, because you may just come up with a recipe that you love.  If not, simply alter it and try again next time.  At least you gave it a go!  Don't be scared to try new things and don't be afraid to fail.  Learn from your mistakes and try, try again!

Final word

Vegan cooking is no longer a tiny niche anymore, but very commonplace with initiatives such as Meat-Free Monday highlighting the environmental damage our meat-eating habits are having on the environment. 

Vegan documentaries have skyrocketed proving the damage meat is doing to our health. 

You'll find so many recipes and inspiration online on websites such as Pinterest and Instagram. 

It's easier than ever to go vegan nowadays and we have no excuse left to kill animals.  We don't need them and can thrive on a plant based diet instead.  

 

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