Vegan list of essentials 🌱 - Vegan Foods for Life

Vegan Foods for Life

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Vegan list of essentials 🌱

Agoodenough profile image
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I received this in the inbox from deliciously Ella and I think it is helpful whether you are just starting out or not. (Maybe best to use cartons instead of cans though if you have a choice). I hope you find the list helpful? Ali πŸŒ±πŸ™‚

GETTING STARTED: OUR ESSENTIALS

PLANT-BASED MILKS

Oat Milk works perfectly frothed into coffee.

Almond Milk is great mixed through cake batters and sauces.

Coconut Milk is perfect stirred into creamy curry bases.

Hazelnut Milk makes delicious hot chocolate mixed with cacao powder.

GRAINS & PULSES

Brown Rice has a nutty taste, it's perfect served along side curries and stews.

Wild Rice has a deep, toasty taste which works well in mixed salads.

Oats are perfect for simple breakfast dishes or used in baking.

Quinoa has a fluffy, light texture and can be used across lots of dishes.

Lentils are great cooked in stews, pasta dishes or dhals.

FLOURS

Spelt Flour makes deliciously light and fluffy cakes and sponges.

Oat Flour works perfectly in plain sauce bases or biscuit baking.

Buckwheat Flour is a great gluten-free flour to use for plain baking.

Brown Rice Flour has a slight grainy texture and is best for adding texture.

CANNED INGREDIENTS

Chickpeas can be blended into creamy hummus or roasted to make crunchy.

Butter Beans are delicious mixed through stews for an extra bite.

Black Beans add a deep, earthy richness to dishes and stews.

Mixed Beans are perfect for making rich 5-bean chilli.

Tinned Tomatoes are a great ingredient to add into pasta sauces, stews and soups.

Coconut Milk has a creamy, thick consistency which works great in curry sauces, as well as the bases of sweet dishes.

INGREDIENTS IN A JAR

Tahini is perfect for adding a creamy taste to dressings and sauces.

Miso paste is a fantastic way of adding a salty, earthy taste to dishes.

Almond Butter is great as a quick and easy snack or mixed through stir fry sauces.

Peanut Butter is great mixed through satay style sauces, or drizzled over granola.

Sun-dried tomatoes are a great ingredient to add an extra bite to salads and stews, their oil is also great to use in the base of cooking in place of olive oil.

SEEDS

Chia Seeds are a great binding agent, they thicken up when mixed with moisture.

Sunflower Seeds are perfect to bake into sweet granolas or baking loaves.

Pumpkin Seeds are delicious sprinkle on top of salads and stews.

Sesame Seeds give dishes an additional sweet, nutty taste when sprinkled on top.

NUTS

Almonds are delicious roasted and sprinkled over salads or stir fries.

Cashews are perfect for soaking and blending to make thick, creamy sauces.

Peanuts are great to blend into smooth butters or mixed into sweet snacks.

Walnuts are ideal mixed into fresh salads with fresh veggies and fruit.

Pecans compliment sweet, baked treats perfectly.

OILS

Sesame Oil is ideal for Asian style dishes like stir fries.

Olive Oil is a great base for any rich, Mediterranean style cooking.

Coconut Oil is delicious used in baking and to make the base of curries.

Sunflower Oil is best used when no taste is required.

VINEGARS

Apple Cider Vinegar adds acidity to sauces, dressings, stews and baking batters.

Rice Vinegar is a delicious ingredient used to complement Asian style dishes.

Balsamic Vinegar adds a rich, sweet taste to stews, sauces and dressings.

SWEETENERS

Dates blend perfectly into a lot of sweet snacks, or are even delicious on their own.

Coconut Sugar has a rich, caramel taste - it's great to use in place of caster sugar.

Maple Syrup is a great natural sweetener, perfect to mix into dressings and sauces.

Raisins add a delicious, earthy sweetness to both sweet and savoury dishes.

Coconut Blossom Nectar is a sweet, concentrated syrup - you don't need a lot of it.

Brown Rice Syrup creates a perfect binding agent when heated and cooled.

Date Syrup adds a deep, rich sweetness to baked treats and dressings.

BAKING INGREDIENTS

Baking Powder is a pure leavening agent, used to make sponges and cakes rise.

Bicarbonate of soda is a rising agent, which needs acidity to make batters rise.

Cacao Powder great for adding a chocolatey taste to cakes and sauces.

Cacao Butter melted with cacao powder makes a delicious hard chocolate.

Ground Almonds make a great, gluten-free alternative to a lot of baking batters.

DRIED HERBS

Thyme is delicious to use in the base of rich tomato sauces.

Oregano adds a peppery, earthy taste to soups, sauces and roasted veggies.

Rosemary adds a strong, lemony-pine flavour to roasted veggies and sauces.

SPICES

Cumin adds a warm, nutty flavour to most dishes and sauces.

Turmeric creates a vibrant colour and adds a bitter flavour to dishes.

Paprika is perfect for add a warm, spice to dishes and stews.

Chilli Flakes are great to sprinkle on top of dishes to add some more heat.

Cayenne Pepper adds another layer of spice and can make dishes very spicy.

Ground Coriander adds nutty, roasted aromas to dishes.

Cinnamon creates a sweet, rich smell and adds richness to dishes.

Ginger is great at adding a spicy and sweet taste to dishes.

Nutmeg adds a delicious aroma and taste to sweet dishes and hot drinks.

OTHER BITS

Tomato Puree is perfect to use in the base of rich pasta sauces and soups.

Nutritional yeast is a delicious way to add a nutty, cheesy flavour to dishes.

Polenta makes a delicious, creamy stew when melted down with almonds milk. It can also be mixed raw into flours to savoury doughs or sweet cakes.

Coconut Yoghurt is a great dairy alternative. Simply mix it through pasta, dollop it on top of granola or even whip it to make a thick cake icing.

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Agoodenough
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8 Replies
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benwl profile image
benwlVolunteer

That's a really useful list, thanks for posting it!

Agoodenough profile image
Agoodenough in reply to benwl

You’re welcome πŸ™‚

Hey thanks for that Ali, such a useful list and one I'm now going to print and put in my recipe folder - thank you. What an inspirational person you are, you make such lovely dishes and I'm sure in time I will also be able to make up my own dishes.

Thank you :)

Agoodenough profile image
Agoodenough in reply to

Im glad you found the list helpful Alicia and that you find inspiration at VFL as for me that’s what it’s all about. Thank you for your kind words.Ali πŸŒ±πŸ™‚

in reply to Agoodenough

Yes I certainly did and thank you. I have it sitting on the printer tray at the moment and will be putting it in my binder at the front - pride of place :).

You are welcome, you are an inspiration to us all.

Jens58 profile image
Jens58

Thanks too, Ali

Agoodenough profile image
Agoodenough in reply to Jens58

You’re welcome. It’s a great list which has reminded me to get some more seeds!πŸŒ±πŸ™‚

andyswarbs profile image
andyswarbsVolunteer

Some great tips

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