Vegan hard-boiled eggs debut in major US retailer – here’s where to find them

From veganfoodandliving.com

Vegan hard-boiled eggs from start-up Crafty Counter are hitting the shelves in one of the biggest US supermarket chains

US start-up Crafty Counter has launched its vegan hard-boiled eggs in a major US retailer.

The female and BIPOC-owned company started back in 2018 to help ‘parents who wanted better food options for their families’.

Now it has secured a major listing for WunderEggs –  ‘the world’s first’ whole food, plant-based hard-boiled eggs.

Vegan hard-boiled eggs

The vegan eggs are made from a blend of almonds, cashews, and coconut milk. They are also free from cholesterol, soy, and gluten.

Founder Hema Reddy says the idea behind the product came after her whole ‘carnivore family’ embarked on a journey to veganism.

“It was then that I realized how much I missed eating eggs in various forms,” she said. 

“After one and half years in development, we are proud to say that WunderEggs taste, feel and look very similar to a chicken egg. On top of that, they offer similar nutrition, minus the cholesterol.”

WunderEggs – where to find them

Now, Reddy has managed to bag a nationwide listing with Whole Foods, describing the deal as a ‘major pinch me moment’.

On Instagram, the company has been inundated with messages from customers who have not been able to find WunderEggs on the shelves.

Reddy recommends asking for the ‘Dairy Buyer’ at your local Whole Foods store. If they are unavailable, you can leave a request with the customer service desk.

“This section gets daily deliveries so it should be pretty quick to get the shelf stocked,” the company said.

“There’s power in community. We’re a small team and do not have the resources to deploy expensive merchandising staff.”

Featured image credit: Crafty Counter

https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/news/vegan-hard-boiled-eggs-crafty-counter-wundereggs/

6 benefits of a vegan diet: Weight loss, lower cholesterol and more

From uk.style.yahoo.com

Many people look for new ways to improve their health at the start of the year, and turning to veganism is a popular option.

A recent report revealed there are just under one million vegans in Canada. Even if some people don't fully commit to a vegan lifestyle, the increased sales of meat-substitutes hints that eating vegan has never been easier or trendier.

But is switching to vegan the right choice for you? Research indicates that veganism offers plenty of benefits for you to consider.

Read on for a list of environmental, health and moral benefits of veganism.

Eating vegan helps to lower cholesterol. (Photo via Getty Images)

1. Vegan diets are associated with lowered cholesterol levels

Cholesterol is a lipid our body naturally produces but is also found in many foods we eat.

When we consume additional cholesterol, it can be detrimental to our health and lead to heart disease. 

Foods high in cholesterol include dairy, eggs and meat — none of which are included in a vegan diet. Furthermore, because plants have high levels of soluble fibre, a vegan diet can counteract high cholesterol levels in your body.

Vegan food is environmentally friendly. (Photo via Getty Images)

2. Eating vegan lowers your carbon footprint

On a global scale, meat production accounts for nearly 30 times as much greenhouse gas emissions as those associated with growing plants.

Eating an exclusively plant-based diet is associated with a significantly lower carbon footprint. A recent study indicated that if everyone in the world switched to a plant-based diet, up to 70 per cent fewer greenhouse gases could be emitted by 2050.

Eating vegan can help reduce your risk of cancer. (Photo via Getty Images)

3. Plant-based diets are associated with a reduced risk of cancer

Processed meats like bologna and salami have been identified as carcinogens. Vegan diets, which do not include these items, have been found to prevent some cancers and even slow the progression of certain cancers. 

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, some of the best dietary practices to reduce the risk of cancer includes ensuring half your plate is fruits and vegetables.

4. Eating vegan improves your skin

Studies have shown that eating a plant-based diet can improve your skin. This is primarily because fruits, vegetables, legumes and other vegan foods are high in essential dietary components, including:

• Vitamin E

• Vitamin C

• Phenolic acids

• Beta Carotene

• Polyphenols

Not only do these nutritional components help reduce inflammation, but they also fight free radicals, which may cause blemishes.

The meat industry kills a high number of animals every year. (Photo via Getty Images)

5. Going meatless is kind to animals

The meat industry kills a high number of animals every year. In Canada, millions of animals are slaughtered every month for human consumption.

Moreover, devoting land to animal agriculture is the single largest global contributor to deforestation, extinction and habitat destruction.

Eating vegan can help you lose weight. (Photo via Getty Images)

6. Veganism is associated with weight loss

Many individuals who are already a healthy weight will not experience weight loss when transitioning to a vegan diet. However, a long-term vegan diet that meets your nutritional requirements may reduce weight compared to diets that include meat.

This is because nutrient-dense foods made from plants are digested slower, keeping you fuller longer. In addition, your body burns more calories after you eat a vegan meal versus one that contains meat or dairy.

Benefits of a vegan diet

Veganism is a compassionate choice for people who want a more sustainable diet.

With appropriate education and effort, a vegan diet can deliver all the necessary nutritional components. Moreover, there are incredible vegan replacements and swaps for all your favourite animal-based foods.

If you're ready to switch to a meatless diet, consider talking to your doctor or nutritionist about how you can meet all your nutritional requirements.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle.

https://uk.style.yahoo.com/benefits-of-a-vegan-diet-230035224.html 

Marco Pierre White unveils ‘revolutionary’ vegan dishes at UK steakhouse

From veganfoodandliving.com

Acclaimed chef Marco Pierre White has welcomed a slew of plant-based dishes to one of his UK eateries. Here’s what’s on the new menu…

Marco Pierre White has launched a ‘revolutionary' vegan menu at his eponymous Steakhouse Bar & Grill in the UK.

The acclaimed chef has unveiled four new plant-based starters, mains, and even vegan desserts to accompany his eatery’s Winter menu.

                                                  Featured image credit: Clodagh Kilcoyne via Getty Images

Vegan menu – in full

Guests can choose from a beef ragù alla Bolognese with potato gnocchi and basil and steak à la forestière with wilted spinach, woodland mushrooms and extra virgin olive oil – both made using Redefine Meat.

There’s also a chickpea and spinach curry with basmati rice and roast root vegetable and bean cassoulet with pomodoro sauce and herb crust on offer.

Starters include crostini focaccia, roasted tomato soup, beetroot and walnut salad, and a zucchini fritti with rosemary sea salt.

For dessert, there’s granola topped apple crumble with green apple sorbet, almond rice pudding with vanilla poached apricots, poached seasonal fruits in sparkling wine and a selection vegan ice creams or sorbets.

“The world needs to eat less meat, but the reality is that until now plant-based meat products have fallen way short in terms of the quality and versatility required for our menus,” White said. 

“Redefine Meat’s products expand the plant-based industry beyond minced meat products to whole muscle cuts while giving you all the sustainability and health benefits of plant-based without the compromise on taste and texture.

“In the past, there was definitely a stereotype of people who were vegan but with more millennials and younger people switching to the diet, that has now completely gone.”

Is Marco Pierre White vegan?

While White has frequently hailed the advancements of plant-based food – he is not vegan himself.

The chef says he did go on a plant-based diet once where he ‘certainly lost a lot of weight’ – but has since gone back to eating animal products.

“I learnt a lot when I was on the vegan diet and gave me a good insight into what makes a good vegan recipe,” White wrote last year.

“You can’t expect to get away with offering a vegetable lasagne or vegetarian moussaka as an after-thought.”

https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/news/marco-pierre-white-unveils-vegan-dishes-uk-steakhouse/ 

Trying to eat more vegan food? 8 pro tips for tasty and healthy plant-based meals

From newschainonline.com

Whether you’re looking to reduce your reliance on animal-derived food, cut down on saturated fats, decrease your carbon footprint, or all of the above – embracing plant-based cookery doesn’t mean you have to go 100% vegan if you don’t want to.

“It’s meant to be enjoyable – it’s not meant to be about taking stuff away,” says Annie Rigg, whose latest cookbook, Eat More Vegan, isn’t aimed solely at those who have given up meat and dairy products altogether.

“It’s written from the standpoint of someone who’s not vegan as well,” says Rigg, 52, who trained at the prestigious Leith’s Cookery School and worked as a chef for eight years before become a freelance food writer and stylist.

“I’d like to think I’m not preaching about it. It’s like: here is a really great collection of recipes, that just actually happen to be vegan.”

The author of more than 20 recipe books lives in Hampshire with her husband Hugh, who was pleasantly surprised by how much he enjoyed sampling the many plant-focused dishes.

“My husband – who is very long-suffering – has also embraced eating more vegan food, because I do all the cooking,” Rigg says. “He was completely overwhelmed by the jackfruit bao buns. He said, ‘You would never know they weren’t pork’.”

Now, Rigg is full of fantastic advice for anyone starting out on their plant-based journey or looking to elevate their vegan cookery game. These are some of her top tips…

1. Think veg-first

If you’re used to the classic meat and two veg combo, Rigg recommends an all-inclusive approach that makes vegetables the main event.

“With vegan food, the way I approach it is everything is the hero, rather than having one thing on the plate that’s the hero and everything else is sort of a support act,” she says. “It’s all-inclusive cooking.”

Using a mixture of veg – for example, Rigg’s rice and lentils with tahini-roasted root veg features carrots, parsnips and beetroot – creates a colourful, satisfying meal.

2. Grains are great

“They’re cheap and nutritious, and there are a million different things you can do with them – you open up a whole world of joy,” Rigg says of grains, such as quinoa, freekeh and spelt, which add flavour and texture to dishes as well as making them nutritious and filling.

Take pearl barley, for example – found in her mushroom, celeriac and pearl barley stew. “It’s just so delicious, and nutty and earthy,” says Rigg. “You can chuck grains into soups, stews and pies.”

3. Spice up your life

Rigg says: “I think there are other cuisines that lend themselves naturally to vegan – there are a number of Indian or other Southeast Asian-based recipes in the book.”

She recommends stocking up on a few fragrant spices, such as chaat masala (a powdered blend that includes cumin, coriander and fennel seeds), or making your own.

“It’s a really easy way to brighten up something quite simple, such as fried rice. Chuck on a seasoning blend and suddenly it’s not just rice and vegetables, it’s got flavour bombs all over it.”

4. Season generously

In addition to spices, herbs are a key component in flavourful vegan meals.

“I put bay leaves in a lot of things,” says Rigg. “In the summer, I use quite a lot of basil and oregano, flat-leaf parsley and chives. Currently, we have pots of thyme, rosemary and sage outside, and they are regularly trimmed.”

5. Don’t rely on meat substitutes

While there are plenty of convincing vegan meat alternatives on the market, Rigg prefers the plant-focused approach, although she is a big fan of tofu.

“I think a lot of the people who aren’t vegan or vegetarian shy away from tofu, but if it’s cooked well and properly, it can be the most delicious thing,” she says.

“Marinading it is often a good way. Frying it is always a good thing, because you’re then adding a texture to the outside of it – deep-fried tofu puffs are another option.”

6. Make your own mayo

Another brilliant use for tofu? Whip up tasty vegan mayonnaise and other salad dressings.

“You just buy the silken tofu and blend it. It takes on the texture of mayonnaise and then you can add any other flavours to it,” Rigg explains.

“You can add garlic and lemon and herbs. There’s a Caesar salad dressing I did, which is whizzed up tofu and nutritional yeast – there’s no eggs or cheese.”

7. Try vegan cheese

While experimenting with vegan cheese, Rigg found the dairy-free alternatives have come on leaps and bounds in recent years.

“I found vegan feta very good, and some vegan Parmesan is amazing,” she says. “The supermarkets are obviously doing it, but there are lots of people making small-batch vegan cheese, they’re really worth looking into.”

8. Enjoy it

Rigg’s advice for anyone who thinks they’ve failed if they happen to fancy a slice of toast smothered in butter, or a milky latte?

Eat More Vegan by Annie Rigg is published by Pavilion Books, priced £16.99.

https://www.newschainonline.com/lifestyle/food-and-drink/trying-to-eat-more-vegan-food-8-pro-tips-for-tasty-and-healthy-plant-based-meals-316575

Vegan Sausage Rolls: The Ultimate Guide to the British Classic

From vegnews.com

Vegan sausage rolls are tasty, filling, and easy to cook. Here’s everything you need to know about making and serving them

Nowadays, when you think of sausage rolls, you probably think of the UK or Ireland, where the meat-stuffed pastry has been a lunch, party, and quick-bakery snack staple for many decades. In fact, the first documented mention of sausage rolls in England was in 1864, in The Times newspaper. But really, the idea of wrapping meat in rolled pastry isn’t unique to any one country. Historians have traced the concept back to the Classical Greeks and Romans, and it was also common in 19th-century France.

Origins aside, however, there is no doubt that the UK is home to some of the biggest lovers of sausage rolls now. Greggs, the country’s biggest bakery chain, has a lot to do with the nation’s obsession, as it sells around 2.5 million of them every single week. Usually, sausage rolls contain pork, but animal meat isn’t a necessity. Lately, vegan versions have also soared in popularity, which, again, is partly thanks to Greggs. In 2019, the bakery chain launched its vegan sausage rolls for the first time, and it was so successful, it helped to push profits up by 58 percent. 

If you’re intrigued by this hearty British classic and want to learn more, including how to serve and make them yourself (vegan, of course), we’ve got you covered.

What is a vegan sausage roll?

In a nutshell, a sausage roll is a savoury roll of pastry with sausage meat wrapped inside. In the US, the closest equivalent are pigs in blankets, which feature small hot dogs wrapped in pastry. (In the UK, pigs in blankets are sausages wrapped in bacon.)

When it comes to the meat inside a sausage roll, there are no rules. In traditional recipes, pork sausage meat is used. But chicken, beef, and turkey are also alternative options. And, of course, you don’t need to use real animal meat at all.

Vegan sausage rolls are exactly the same as pork sausage rolls. They feature the same puff pastry outer layer, only instead of pork or another type of animal meat, the stuffing is made with plant-based protein or whole food ingredients, like mushrooms.

Greggs

Are there different types of vegan sausage rolls?

There are a few different types of vegan sausage rolls available, although they all feature a filling wrapped in pastry. Some contain plant-based meat, like Greggs’ version, for example, which features sausages from vegetarian meat brand Quorn. But some options, like those made by UK brand Jack & Bry, contain jackfruit instead. Mushrooms are another popular filling and are particularly good at mimicking the taste and texture of sausage meat.

Who makes vegan sausage rolls?

As you would expect, in the UK, it’s easy to find vegan sausage rolls. Not just from Greggs, but also from most mainstream supermarkets, like Asda, Morrisons, Tesco, and Sainsbury’s, and popular brands, like Wall's. South African brand Fry’s also offers its own vegan meat-stuffed sausage rolls, and so does Birds Eye’s meatless range Green Cuisine.

In the US, it’s a little bit harder to come by vegan sausage rolls on supermarket shelves, and that’s because sausage rolls in general are less common. But that said, if you want to try the savoury dish for yourself, you don’t have to miss out, because you can make them for yourself at home.

How to make vegan sausage rolls

If you’re feeling inspired to get in the kitchen and get cooking, sausage rolls are super simple to make. Plus, they’re delicious and filling, too. So it’s a win-win! Whether you prefer whole-food ingredients or plant-based meat products, here are a few different ways you can make vegan sausage rolls from home.

Simply Ceecee

1Mushroom Sausage Rolls

This tasty, savoury-sweet recipe comes together with just a few ingredients. First, you’ll need the vegan puff pastry (of course), and then for the filling, you’ll need mushrooms (try oyster for a super meaty texture), onions, and cashew nuts (or walnuts, if you prefer). Then all you need to do is cook up the filling, load up the pastries, and bake. Plus, for an extra crunch on top, add some sesame seeds.

GET THE RECIPE

The Veg Space

2Sage and Red Onion Sausage Rolls

For stress-free sausage roll making, it’s always best to buy pre-made pastry. (But if you like, you can make it from home yourself—you’ll just need to set aside the time to do so.) In fact, for this recipe, you can basically buy everything pre-made from the shop - vegan sausages and cheese included. It’s ideal for when you’re in a rush and don’t want to spend too much time fiddling about with raw ingredients.
GET THE RECIPE

Feast Glorious Feast

3Greggs Copycat Vegan Sausage Rolls

If you don’t live near a Greggs bakery, don’t worry, you don’t have to miss out on the taste of the chain’s iconic sausage rolls. You can follow this recipe and mimic them from home using just three ingredients: vegan sausages, puff pastry, and plant-based milk. Easy peasy!
GET THE RECIPE

Plant Based Folk

4Kidney Bean Sausage Rolls

If you’re not a vegan sausage fan, then this recipe is well worth trying. It’s all the savoury, pastry-wrapped goodness, only without the super meaty texture. Instead of store-bought sausages, opt for a nutritious, satisfying filling of kidney beans, mushrooms, and onions.
GET THE RECIPE

How to serve vegan sausage rolls

When it comes to serving vegan sausage rolls, there are no hard and fast rules. If you’re just snacking, they’re great eaten on their own, or with dipping sauce (ketchup, mustard, and barbecue are go-to choices for many). But if you’re eating them as part of a bigger meal, you could also serve them with fries, salad, baked beans, chutney, baked potatoes, coleslaw, potato salad, or a simple side of vegetables. They’re so versatile, they go with most things, so let your creativity run wild.

https://vegnews.com/vegan-guides/cooking/vegan-sausage-rolls-ultimate-guide

 

‘Bolster vegan diet with prunes,’ says expert

From fruitnet.com

Prunes offer bone boost for vegetarians and vegans, California Prune brand nutritionist reveals

As the trend towards veganism and vegetarianism continues to grow, California Prunes brand ambassador and professional nutritionist Jo Travers is encouraging those switching to a plant-based diet not to miss out on nutrients important for overall health.

It follows a study published last summer which revealed middle-aged women who never eat meat are more likely to break a hip than their meat/fish-eating counterparts. The report, published in BMC Medicine and carried out by researchers at the University of Leeds highlighted that vegetarians look to be at greater risk of hip fractures, with BMI and shortfalls in nutrients believed to play a role.

Registered dietitian Travers, BSc RD MBDA, said: “People turn to plant-based diets for a range of reasons including the welfare of animals, the environment, and personal health. To ensure a healthy diet, it’s essential to get a good balance of nutrients across the main food groups and to include protein usually found in meat from other sources. For vegetarians, alternatives include dairy, beans, legumes, lentils, and tofu.”

Travers added: “For bone health, both calcium and vitamin D play a key role. While calcium can be sourced from dairy products and dark green, leafy vegetables, vitamin D is created in the body from sunlight, and can also be found in small amounts in oily fish. In addition to calcium and vitamin D, there is a wide range of other vitamins and minerals that can help strengthen bones, including vitamin B6, vitamin K, potassium, and manganese, all of which can be found in prunes.”

A major study published last year outlined how prunes prevent bone loss at hip and protect against fracture risk thanks to their nutritional profile. The research, from Pennsylvania State University, found that daily prune consumption preserved bone mineral density (BMD) at the hip and protected against increased fracture risk in postmenopausal women.

Travers added: “For those who choose to follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, it’s important that bone-friendly vitamins and minerals like calcium and vitamin K are accessed across a range of sources. Following a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and carrying out weight-bearing exercise are all key components of building healthy bones.”

The California Prune Board was established in 1952 to represent growers and handlers under the authority of the California Secretary of Food and Agriculture.

California is the world’s largest producer of prunes with orchards across 14 counties in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys.

https://www.fruitnet.com/fresh-produce-journal/bolster-vegan-diet-with-prunes-says-expert/248136.article

Agile aubergine! 10 easy, delicious vegan recipes to make in a hurry at home

From theguardian.com

What do chefs turn to when they want a plant-based meal to cook after work? We asked for their top suggestions for lightning-fast feasts

‘A beautiful vegetable’ … Esra Muslu cooks aubergine over an open flame and serves it with crisp garlic and chilli jam. Photograph: Denys Rzhanov/Getty Images/iStockphoto

 

Smokey aubergine with chilli jam

Esra Muslu, chef founder of Zahter, London
Aubergine is often found on Turkish tables. It’s such a beautiful vegetable, and I like cooking it right over an open flame, which adds a nice smokiness, and serving with chilli jam and crisp, fried garlic. Make sure all sides of the aubergine are cooked over the flame, then peel the skin. I make a chilli jam by mixing 250g sugar with 250g water until dissolved, then stirring in chopped chilli and lime juice to taste, and heating until thickened. Thinly slice 50g garlic and fry in oil. Place the aubergine on the plate and roughly chop. Sprinkle some salt and za’atar, and garnish with parsley, four or five fried garlic slices, the chilli jam and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses.

Baked celeriac

Neil Campbell, head chef at Rovi, London
I love celeriac – so many things can be done with it and none of them need to be fancy. Bake them like you would a baked potato, rubbed in olive oil and salt (they’re lower in calories and higher in vitamins than spuds) until they’re caramelised on the outside and soft and fluffy within, then load up however you would like. Confit garlic, mushrooms and herbs is a winner, or I love using a homemade zhoug. Make this by blending parsley, coriander, green chilli, garlic and lemon juice with olive oil, then drizzle all over. Some chopped nuts work nicely with this, too.

Teriyaki maitake mushroom donburi

Luke French, chef director at Jöro, Sheffield
A hero vegan ingredient for me is maitake mushrooms, which have an insane flavour. You can sometimes find them in supermarket packets of mixed wild mushrooms. One of my favourite comfort dishes is a teriyaki maitake mushroom donburi (mushroom rice bowl) – I promise you it is one of the tastiest vegan rice bowls you’ll ever have eaten. Make a simple teriyaki by reducing 200g mirin with 300g light soy sauce by half, then stir in a sachet of miso soup paste and reserve. Next, brine the mushrooms by dissolving 10g salt and 20g caster sugar with 200g cold water, then submerge the mushrooms in it for 20 minutes. After brining, pat dry on kitchen paper, then cook on a hot barbecue grill (or fry in smoked olive oil) until charred and crispy around the outside. Glaze the mushrooms in the teriyaki dressing and serve on freshly cooked sushi rice/short grain rice, seasoned with a little rice vinegar/mirin/sugar/salt. Top with freshly chopped chives and crispy fried onions, and drizzle with more teriyaki dressing.

Gnocchi with cavolo nero and walnuts

Giovann Attard, executive head chef at Norma, London
I make a good gnocchi with cavolo nero and walnuts. Put 550g mashed potato in a bowl with 5g salt, 20ml olive oil and 300g 00 flour, and mix until it has formed a ball, making sure that it isn’t too wet and sticky. Taking a small piece at a time, form into a long roll around 2cm thick, then cut the roll into 2.5cm pieces. Place the gnocchi pieces on a floured tray, then cook by boiling in a large pan of boiling salted water until they float to the top. These are perfect with a cavolo nero pesto, made by placing 45g chopped and blanched cavolo nero in a blender with 100g walnuts, 5 tbsp olive oil, a bunch of basil leaves, two garlic cloves, 50g pine nuts, 10g vegan parmesan and ½ tsp each of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. If the blender is struggling, add a bit of hot water from the gnocchi pan.

Dal

Aktar Islam, chef at Opheem, Birmingham
My go-to vegan dish is dal. I love it because it goes with everything; I usually have mine with bread or rice, with some pickles on the side. Heat a little oil in a pan over a moderate heat, add 1 tsp mustard seeds, ½ tsp cumin seeds, 2.5cm of chopped ginger, ½ tbsp chopped garlic and 20 curry leaves, then sauté for 30 seconds. Add a chopped onion and a chopped green chilli, and sauté until translucent, before adding 1 tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp turmeric powder and ½ tsp salt, then sauté for two or three minutes. Add 250g red lentils and 100g moong dal (make sure both have been washed and soaked) and enough boiling water to cover the lentils with 2cm extra, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes. While it’s cooking, prepare the temper by caramelising a finely sliced shallot and setting it aside. Using the same pan and remaining oil, add three finely chopped garlic cloves and cook until lightly brown, then add two whole dry Kashmiri red chillies, a pinch of asafoetida, ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder and mix well, then pour over your prepared lentils.

Mixed greens bruschetta

Conor Gadd, head chef at Trullo, London
My wife and I often cook vegan meals at home and, when we do, it is much more about celebrating vegetables than it is trying to do a vegan version of a meat dish. For a simple supper, I make a bruschetta of mixed greens using cavolo, kale, cime di rapa – things like that. After taking them off the stalk, I chop the greens roughly and blanch them for two to three minutes. While they’re blanching, I sweat garlic and chilli in a pan (twice as much as you think you’ll need), then add the greens and cook for a few minutes. Season with salt and a squeeze of lemon, and drench in new season Tuscan olive oil, then simply eat with some grilled bread.

Masala poori

Sameer Taneja, executive chef at Benares, London
One of my favourite vegan dishes to make is masala poori – which are Indian crispy, spiced flatbreads. They are spiced with turmeric, coriander, fenugreek and chilli powder, and are delicious on their own or dipped into curries and sauces (my favourite is with a black chickpea curry). To create the masala poori, I prepare a flour and semolina dough (250g whole wheat flour, 25g semolina, 100ml water, 10g sunflower oil) and mix well with spices, resting for 30 minutes before kneading and rolling into small flat discs. You then deep-fry until golden on each side (30 seconds or so) and nudge the discs around the pan, which encourages them to puff up, creating delicious crispy flatbreads. Simple but so tasty.

Caramelised onion yeast sauce

Jan Ostle, head chef at Wilsons, Bristol
At the restaurant we always have a vegan menu running alongside our regular menu, and often dishes from the vegan menu are so delicious that they move across. This caramelised onion yeast sauce is one of those that can be used for any hearty, savoury dish. Lightly caramelise six shallots and a clove of garlic. Roast 200g baker’s yeast at 160C until crispy. Add the two together, cover with water and simmer. Blend and pass through a sieve, then add a dash of sherry vinegar if it needs some acidity. It’s great with roasted root vegetables.

Gaji namul … a favourite of Judy Joo’s, founder of Seoul Bird. Photograph: from_my_point_of_view/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Gaji namul

Judy Joo, founder of Seoul Bird, London
I love the silkiness of aubergines, and I have many memories of eating gaji namul, a colourful aubergine-based side dish. My mum would sauté the aubergine very carefully with chopsticks, so as not to bruise or discolour it. Asian aubergines work best for this recipe as their skins are thinner and they are much sweeter in taste. Cut three Asian aubergines into finger-sized batons and toss in ½ tbsp salt. Place in a single layer in a colander over a plate or in a sink and allow the excess water to drain off for 25–30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce by whisking together two chopped garlic chives, 1 tbsp grated garlic, a thinly sliced spring onion, 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes), 2 tsp roasted and crushed sesame seeds, ½ tbsp white sugar, 2 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp roasted sesame oil. Set aside. Sauté the aubergines in oil for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat, coat with sauce, season with salt and eat.

Let’s have a toast … Sofian Msetfi’s mushroom ‘ragu’ on toast with lime and pistachio

Mushroom ‘ragu’ on toast

Sofian Msetfi, executive chef at Ormer Mayfair, London
My go-to comfort dish in January is a vegan mushroom “ragu” on toast. It’s simple to make and perfect as a nourishing lunch or light supper. Grill a couple of slices of sourdough until golden brown, then drizzle with olive oil. Fry a roughly chopped banana shallot and a finely sliced garlic clove with some salt. After 2-3 minutes, add 300g chopped wild or button mushrooms with ½ tsp chopped thyme. Once cooked, add 40ml rice milk, 20ml balsamic vinegar and a squeeze of lime juice. Reduce until thick and the mushrooms are coated in the sauce. Spoon the ragu on top of the toasted sourdough and finish with 50g roughly chopped pistachios, the zest of one lime and a handful of watercress for garnish.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/jan/24/agile-aubergine-10-easy-delicious-vegan-plant-based-meals-to-make-in-a-hurry-at-home