5 easy vegan recipes that I love

 

This year was the first year I tried Veganuary. Not only did it mean we reduced our meat intake for a month, we also found so many new recipes and meal inspiration that we still try weeks later. It was interesting to say the least to try out the dairy free cheese, with varying success. The meat substitutes were much better and I found a new love for oat milk and vegan chocolate However bringing more vegetables to our dishes was the best bit. 

If you're looking to try a month of being vegan, I really recommend The Vegan Kind supermarket and trusty BBC Good Food as well as these Olive Magazine favourites or pick yourself up some bargain vegan recipe books from The Works. Here are a few of my favourite vegan recipes, which all bring out a rainbow of vegetables and pulses, with no meat alternatives in sight. 

vegan tacos with homemade mushroom & bean mince.

A delicious homemade veggie mince recipe that is both vegetarian and vegan! In this case, I've added some subtle spice to create a chilli style mince, perfect for tasty tacos. But the results are so versatile! The recipe is also perfect for dairy free diners who also may avoid soya or eggs in the supermarket bought varieties.

Using my trusty new Veggie Bullet, I was so pleased that shredding up healthy mushrooms and borlotti beans was such an easy way to create a mince-like base for so many meals. With around 20 calories in 200g of mushrooms too, the cheap ingredient means you can create a really low fat, low price meat substitute which is packed with nutrients too. Will you be giving it a try for #MeatfreeMonday?

vegan bean chilli.

A chilli for the chilly months. This cosy and warming dish is perfect for getting those veggies in after the festive season. Whether you're in a post-cheese slump or are fighting the sniffles, this could be wholesome, veg-packed dish for you. It's vegan, dairy free and gluten free too - plus since it's so easy to whip up and batch cook it's perfect for lazy Winter teas and midweek meals.

mexican style cauliflower steaks.

Cauliflower really is the ingredient of the moment. Gluten free rice, vegan steak and wheat free pizza base - so much more than the classic cauliflower cheese (also delicious). So I thought I'd give the meat free trend a try with this dairy free, vegan friendly take on steak. I was really pleased with the results; a versatile texture with crunchy and crispy edges. I created a Mexican twist on it, since what doesn't go well with salsa, tortillas, chilli and heaps of guacamole. 

thai peanut potato and spinach curry.

An indulgent vegan curry featuring the unique Rooster potatoes from Albert Bartlett. Their signature potato has unmistakable deep red skin and a texture that makes them perfect for mashing, boiling, baking and roasting. To celebrate this fantastic potato, I've teamed up with Albert Bartlett to create this Thai inspired curry with hints of peanut, chilli, lime and coriander. The potatoes are the star of the show, with added nutrients from the finely chopped spinach throughout.

strawberry and coconut overnight oats.

I have recently discovered the joy of overnight oats! Yippee! Let's just put it out there, I'm not a morning person. So if there's a quick and healthy breakfast recipe that lets me press that snooze button just one more time then I'm in. What's more, I love my almond, coconut and hazelnut milk so all these easy overnight oats recipe suggestions are dairy free and vegan friendly.