So what do you actually eat?

This is a question I get asked all the time. And my answer is probably similar to what you eat but without the animal products. I believe pretty much any meal can be veganised. If you are new to veganism I would recommend not falling into the trap of pre prepared vegan meals or convenience food, although once in a while when you’re busy is fine. You don’t want to switch from an unhealthy carnivorous diet to an unhealthy vegan diet. You’re not helping anyone by not taking care of your own body. Of course my reason for switching to a vegan diet is because of my love for animals but that doesn’t need to be at the detriment of my own health.

I would suggest adding some vegan staples to your cupboard to start with. Initially it will probably be a bit more expensive but once you’ve figured out what you can and can’t eat and have a bit of a meal plan this will even out. It only starts to get expensive when you’re reaching for the pre packaged convenience foods.

Staple foods I recommend are: lentils (tinned and dried) they are very cheap to buy. I use lentils a lot as a meat substitute in bolognaise, shepherds pie etc. Cashews; these are great for making creamy sauces for pasta and dauphinoise potatoes ( my daughters favourite). Nutritional yeast; adds a cheesy flavour to anything, good for sprinkling on top of dishes and also for making cheesy sauces. Plant milks; i use oat milk for pretty much everything and recommend oatly barista in tea and coffee. Also I’d recommend getting a good selection of herbs and spices for flavouring.

There is so much good information and recipes online that it really doesn’t need to be that hard. I love watching and reading recipe books from http://deliciouslyella.co.uk http://thehappypear.ie and http://avantegardevegan.com These guys have some amazing recipes that are healthy and inexpensive. Also there are some great facebook groups that give advice and tips.

Recipe of the week is one of my picky little vegan’s favourites: https://thehappypear.ie/recipes/oil-free-creamy-mushroom-pasta/

You can follow me on instagram for vegan inspiration and meal ideas @thepickyveganlife