Mindful of our impact, we encourage the team at famille to opt for occasional meat free meals (perhaps a ‘meat free Monday’ or swapping dairy milk for oat), limit plastic use whenever possible and to consider second hand and sustainable shopping options to reduce personal impact on the environment, both at home and in the workplace.
This Veganuary, Abi shares her journey to veganism and tips for the month and beyond…
I’m always delighted to see more people embracing vegan food during January. My Instagram feed instantly becomes saturated with delicious vegan recipes and we see a flurry of restaurants and brands releasing new plant-based products, making it an easier choice for those who want to start the new year eating less animal products.
Veganuary is how I first tested out veganism six years ago, after being vegetarian for many years prior. However I can’t help but feel that in recent years it’s become more about the big brands (and the not so ethical ones) pushing their vegan options, which are often heavily packaged and neither healthy, particularly good for the environment or cruelty free when you consider the other animal based products these brands push. Though if these products make it easier for people to try veganism, and see that it’s not so daunting after all, then perhaps it’s a move in the right direction.
Here are my top Veganuary tips to help you enjoy the remainder of the month, and hopefully keep some plant-based additions in your diet!
-
- Don’t expect a vegan alternative to cheese or meat to replicate the exact flavour of its animal-derived counterpart. In fact, vegan cheese has a very particular taste that may put you off completely! Luckily now there are many more options available and some brilliant plant-based cheeses made from ingredients like cashews, which are far less processed from the options you will find in your local supermarket. Check out – lafauxmagerie.com, iamnutok.com, and honestlytasty.co.uk for some great options, especially if you’re missing a cheese board!
- It’s easy to get a bit over-excited at the supermarket and ending up buying a lot of pre-made vegan foods like ‘No Chicken Kyivs’, THIS™ isn’t bacon, or Linda Mcartney’s frozen vegan sausage rolls (guilty). But if you wish to continue with a vegan diet post Veganuary, it’s important to make sure you’re adding enough whole foods to your diet to compensate for the nutrients you won’t be getting from meat, fish or dairy. That means lots of beans, pulses, grains, tofu and plenty of veggies!
- Try to plan some meals in advance, choose some of your favourite meals, whether it’s a spag bol, korma, enchiladas or pie and mash, 99% of the time you’ll be able to easily veganise it. Start a Pinterest board for vegan recipes or follow some vegan/plant-based content creators. Seeing tasty food on your feeds will help to inspire you with cooking!
Instagrammer accounts I recommend giving a follow for delicious food inspo:
@georgieeats – Don’t miss Georgie’s ‘burnt leeks and beans’ recipe, you won’t be disappointed!
@mensch.chef – amazing food innovations, a go-to for vegan cheese recipes, or even natural and homemade cleaning products.
@rachelama_ – Delicious whole-food, plant-based recipes, Rachel also creates recipes for ‘allplants’ if you fancy getting some healthy ready meals delivered to your door.
@maxlamanna – Low waste recipes (he’s even found a use for banana skins!) Author of the ‘More Plants Less Waste’ recipe book.
@jacobking – King of plant-based comfort food! An abundance of easy-to-follow recipes that will leave you feeling satisfied.
@uglyvegan – Because after all, veganism is much more than a diet and we all find ourselves reaching for a vegan Greggs sausage roll from time to time!
Sneaky protein pasta sauce
One of my favourite go-tos for a quick meal with plenty of nutrients!
Start off by soaking a handful of cashews – you can also swap these for cannellini or butter beans, then simply blend on high speed with a generous amount of your favourite unsweetened veggie milk and add some of all of the following. A heaped teaspoon of dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (soon to be your best friend), the juice from 1 lemon, a garlic clove, a chunk of uncooked white onion or a teaspoon of onion powder, salt, pepper. You can also add roasted red peppers or tomatoes for a richer flavour. Blend until super smooth, add to your cooked pasta and voilà!
I hope these tips help you to enjoy the rest of Veganuary, we’d love to hear about your plant-based journey, you can keep in touch with us via Instagram
You may also like to read about our impact at famille
