Category: Plant-based-diet Page 4 of 6

Delve into the world of plant-powered nutrition. Uncover the benefits of incorporating more plant-based foods into your diet, whether you’re a seasoned vegan or simply looking to add more greens. Find delicious recipes, health insights, and inspiration for a balanced and compassionate eating journey.

4 Groups of Delicious Vegan Substitutes to Upgrade Your Full English Breakfast (With An Easy Recipe)

By Rachel

On March 13, 2023

In Plant-based-diet

A full English breakfast is a classic British dish consisting of grilled or fried bacon, sausages, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, black pudding, baked beans, fried bread or toast, and hash browns.

It is typically enjoyed on weekends or during holidays as a filling way to start the day.

As a former meat eater, I used to indulge in full English breakfasts on vacation.

However, since giving up meat a few years ago and limiting my dairy intake last year, a traditional full English breakfast has become a distant memory for me.

In recent months, however, I’ve discovered that it’s possible to recreate a full English breakfast without ANY animal products!

By using plant-based substitutes such as vegan bacon, sausages, and scrambled tofu, I’ve been able to enjoy a healthy and cruelty-free version of this classic breakfast.

Not only is it better for my health and the environment, but it’s also just as delicious and satisfying as the original.

Now, I’m excited to share with you the four groups of delicious vegan substitutes that I use to recreate the full English breakfast experience.

With these plant-based alternatives, you, too, can enjoy a healthy and satisfying breakfast without compromising on taste or tradition.

Vegan meats

Let’s dive into the essential components of a classic full-English breakfast: sausages and bacon. And, of course, we’ll be using plant-based alternatives to create the same mouth-watering flavours.

As someone who has tried a variety of plant-based sausages, including big brands like Beyond Meat and supermarket brands like Tesco plant chef, I can say that there is no shortage of options.

From Beyond Meat plant-based sausages to Richmond meat-free vegan sage & onion sausages, the choices are endless.

Personally, I find Richmond meat-free sausages to be my favourite due to their authentic taste and texture.

vegan hash brown and sausage — Vegan hash brown and sausage

If you ever wonder how vegan sausages are made, they can be made using a range of plant-based ingredients, including soy, seitan (wheat gluten), pea protein, chickpeas, lentils and vegetables.

They are often flavoured with herbs and spices to recreate the taste of traditional sausages.

As for vegan bacon, it’s made from plant-based ingredients, such as tempeh, tofu, or coconut, that are seasoned and cooked to mimic the flavour and texture of traditional bacon.

Unlike vegan sausages, I have yet to find a good one, as most tend to be quite dry.

However, I have discovered a healthier and tastier alternative – using carrots to make vegan bacon!

In fact, using vegetables, like carrots or eggplant, to create a bacon-like flavour is becoming more popular in the vegan community.

Check out the video below to learn how to make it yourself from scratch!

It’s easier than you think, and I guarantee it’s a delicious and healthier addition to any vegan full English breakfast.

How to make delicious ‘Carrot Bacon’ at home

Vegan breakfast staples

Moving on to vegan breakfast staples, a classic ‘fry-up‘ includes baked beans, hash browns, and bread.

While these may seem like vegan-friendly options, it’s important to check the label as some products may contain animal-derived ingredients.

For example, some varieties of Heinz baked beans may contain non-vegan ingredients such as honey or bacon.

Similarly, some brands of hash browns may contain animal-based products such as eggs, butter, or milk.

In terms of baked beans, I tend to avoid big brands like Heinz as I find them too sweet for my taste and often more expensive.

Instead, I prefer the more affordable options from Sainsbury’s or Morrison’s savers baked beans.

Interestingly, a recent blind taste test survey revealed that these supermarkets’ own-label baked beans actually outperformed well-known brands.

How about bread? The typical kind of bread used in a full English breakfast is usually white bread, either toasted or fried.

However, some variations of the dish may use other types of bread, such as wholemeal or sourdough. It’s important to note that not all breads are vegan due to non-vegan ingredients like eggs, milk, honey, and butter that may be used in bread recipes.

Eggs and milk are often used as binding agents or to enrich the texture, while honey is used as a sweetener, and butter is used to add flavour or make the bread more tender.

Additionally, some commercial breads may contain additives or preservatives derived from animal products.

So, it’s crucial to check the label of vegan breakfast staples to ensure they are suitable for a vegan diet, as some products may contain non-vegan ingredients or additives.

Vegan eggs and tofu

For a protein-packed breakfast, you can consider adding vegan eggs and tofu to this classic dish.

The brand ‘JUST Egg‘ is probably one of the most well-known vegan egg brands.

The company specialise in creating vegan egg alternatives using mung beans, turmeric, and canola oil to replicate the flavour, texture, and appearance of traditional eggs.

Although I haven’t had the opportunity to try ‘JUST Egg’ or other vegan egg products as they are not available in my local supermarkets, I have experimented with making a homemade version. Here is the recipe I followed.

Making our own vegan eggs can be a sustainable option as it reduces packaging and shipping waste, which can contribute to our carbon footprint and have a negative impact on the environment.

By choosing homemade options, we can help to reduce our environmental impact and support a more sustainable lifestyle.

vegan eggs made with mung beans — vegan egg ingrendients

For those who are short on time, vegan egg products like ‘JUST Egg’ can be a convenient option during the transition to a vegan diet.

This transition can be made easier with the help of vegan substitutes, ultimately benefiting the environment and animal welfare.

Tofu is a great option for increasing our protein intake, too. Compared to vegan eggs made with mung beans, I prefer scrambled tofu because it requires less preparation and fewer ingredients.

Also, tofu is more accessible than mung beans in my area. Firm or extra-firm tofu is the recommended choice for this recipe, as it provides a meatier texture and can absorb flavours well.

Overall, incorporating vegan eggs or tofu into your breakfast routine can be a delicious and healthy way to increase your plant-based protein intake.

Vegan condiments

Vegan condiments may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a full English breakfast, but they can make a huge difference to the taste and texture of the dish.

Traditional condiments such as butter, mayo, brown sauce, ketchup, mustard, and Worcester sauce can all be made in vegan versions that are just as delicious and satisfying as their non-vegan counterparts.

By using these vegan condiments, you can enjoy a fully-flavoured and satisfying breakfast that aligns with your plant-based lifestyle.

If you are new to vegan foods, you may be surprised to learn that most mayonnaise and Worcester sauce products in supermarkets are not vegan unless they are specifically labelled with a ‘vegan-friendly’ logo.

This is because mayonnaise is typically made with eggs, and Worcester sauce often contains anchovies. However, vegan versions of these products are now widely available in most UK supermarkets.

I prefer to make my own mayo as it is cheaper, very easy, and quick to prepare. Additionally, homemade versions do not contribute to packaging or shipping waste, making them a more eco-friendly option.

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Nutritious & delicious vegan full English breakfast in minutes

Packed with nutrients and flavour. Enjoy a hearty and satisfying breakfast without any animal products.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine British

Keyword baked beans, vegan meats

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Servings 2

Calories 550kcal

Cost £6

Ingredients

1 red onion, roughly sliced
2 medium-sized tomatoes, cut into 6 – 8 slices
100 gram mushrooms, roughly sliced (use either white or brown mushrooms)
1 tin vegan baked beans
4 vegan sausages
4 vegan hash browns
2-3 slices of vegan bread
1½ tsp olive oil (for roasting onions and tomatoes)
1½ tsp balsamic vinegar (for roasting onions and tomatoes)
1 tsp mixed herbs (for roasting onions and tomatoes)
1½ tsp vegan Worcester sauce (for stir-fried mushrooms)
½ tsp regular or whole-grain mustard (for stir-fried mushrooms)
2 springs rosemary (optional, roast with vegan sausages)
some vegan butter and brown sauce

Instructions

Cook vegan hash browns and sausages according to the instructions on the packaging.
Roughly slice onion and tomatoes. Put them into a roasting tin. Add olive oil. balsamic vinegar and mixed herbs according to the ingredients above. Mix them well.
Put the tin into the oven and roast the vegetables for 15-20 minutes at 200°C/400°F, or until tender and lightly browned.
While the vegetables are roasting in the oven, it's time to cook the mushrooms. Rinse the mushrooms and pat them dry with a paper towel. Roughly slice them.
Add around ½ tbsp of oil to a frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the mushrooms and stir them quickly. Cook for about 3-5 minutes or until the mushrooms start to shrink. Add the vegan Worcestershire sauce and mustard according to the ingredients above and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While mushrooms are cooking, we can get baked beans and slices of bread ready. Heat baked beans in the microwave according to the instructions provided on the packaging.
Toast slices of bread in a toaster to your desired level of toastiness. Spread some vegan butter on the toast when they're done.
Time to plate up your delicious and nutritious vegan full English breakfast! You'll have two savoury vegan sausages, crispy hash browns, flavorful roasted red onions and tomatoes, and a side of warm baked beans and toasted bread with vegan butter.
For an extra kick of flavour, top your sausages with a dollop of brown sauce. And don't forget to brew yourself a cup of English breakfast tea with a splash of vegan milk to complete the traditional experience.
Now sit back, relax, and savour every bite of your perfect morning meal!

Video

soup with minced herbs on round white ceramic plate

Cozy Up with This Plant-Based Lentil Soup Recipe!

By Rachel

On January 20, 2023

In Plant-based-diet

When I ask my friends whether they like lentils or not, their immediate reaction is that they aren’t sure what they are, what they taste like, and how they’re supposed to cook them.

So, if you’re like most people in the UK, you might be unfamiliar with lentils.

However, I guarantee you’ll love their awesome nutritious qualities once you start including them in your diet.

So in this post, let me share my go-to lentil soup recipe with a mix of carrots and celery.

It’s simple, super healthy and filled with comforting flavours — a perfect soup to warm up a cold day!

What are lentils?

Lentils are part of the legume family. They’re pulses and relatively small crops compared to other legumes, such as soya beans, chickpeas and pinto beans.

Some people once said that lentils are cousins to beans but are much smaller and require no soaking before cooking.

Another way to think of lentils is they are edible seeds.

From an environmental point of view, lentil crops act as soil fertilizer because they add nitrogen to the soil, and nitrogen helps plants grow!

Not only that, but lentil crops also foster soil microbial diversity even after being harvested. So, lentils usually are intercropped with cereals to achieve higher crop yields.

Research also shows that growing lentils produces a negative carbon footprint.

Overall, growing and eating more lentils can make a positive contribution to the environment and provides much better sustainability than other crops, such as almonds, sugar cane farms or palm plantation.

When did humans start eating lentils?

Lentils are ancient crops whose history can go back as far as 13,000 years.

They were first recorded in Northern Syria around 8,000 B.C., and by 6,000 B.C., they reached Greece and, much later, Egypt, Rome and other Middle East regions.

Lentils were the first plant cultivated by humans, together with wheat and barley.

Today, lentils are a staple food in many countries, including India, Bangladesh, Turkey, Egypt and Algeria.

Especially in India, the country consumes nearly half of the world’s lentils. They’re also the world’s second-largest lentil producer after Canada.

I first tasted lentils in Indian curry and never forgot that wonderful dish, which left me feeling satisfied and healthy.

How many different types of lentils?

Lentils come in many shapes, sizes and colours.

There are five main types: brown lentils, green lentils, black lentils, red lentils and French green lentils, and each type contains several varieties.

clear glass jars with brown liquid inside — Photo by Polina Tankilevitch on Pexels.com

Among those different types, brown lentils are the most common ones. That’s why they’re sometimes referred to as the universal lentil.

Red spilt lentils don’t have a seed coat to protect them, so they break down faster, which reduces the cooking time quite a bit compared to other lentils.

Thus, if you don’t want your red lentils to get too mushy, make sure you don’t overcook them.

Lastly, the rarest lentils would be black ones because they can only be grown in cool and dry climates.

However, black lentils are the most nutritious type because they contain the highest amount of protein.

Types of lentils	Whole or split	Flavour	Cooking time	Water ratio	Good for
Brown lentil	whole	nutty & sweet	30 – 35 mins	1 cup of lentils to 3 cups of water	stews, soups, veggie burgers
Green lentils	whole	peppery	30 – 35 mins	1 cup of lentils to 3 cups of water	salads, soups, side dishes
Black lentils (aka Beluga lentils)	whole	strong earthy	35 – 40 mins	1 cup of lentils to 4 cups of water	salads
Red lentils	split	mild & nutty	12 – 15 mins	1 cup of lentils to 2 cups of water	curries, dips, soups, veggie pie
French green lentils (aka puy lentils)	whole	strong peppery	30 – 35 mins	1 cup of lentils to 3 cups of water	salads, soup or side dishes

5 types of lentils, their flavour and cooking time

** Whole lentils tend to hold their shape better after being cooked.

** Split lentils mean they have their outer coating, i.e. husks, removed.

How to cook dry lentils?

The very first step is to sift through lentils for stones or debris.

Then rinse them with cold water very well until the water runs clear.

When rinsing, try to capture the water in a large bowl to save the water and use it for another purpose, such as watering your plants.

Next, you can soak them. Though, unlike dry beans, soaking lentils before cooking is optional.

However, I often soak lentils in cold water an hour before cooking because I know that can reduce at least one-third of the cooking time.

The soaking also helps us digest lentils more easily once they’re cooked.

Another common question about cooking lentils is whether it’s okay to add salt at the beginning of the cooking.

Some people claim that adding salt before the lentils are cooked will toughen their skin.

But I don’t think it’s entirely true.

If you only cook lentils and no other ingredients in a pot, then add salt once your lentils are tender.

However, if you incorporate lentils with other ingredients in the pot, such as veggies or beans, then you can add salt before the lentils are cooked through.

Now, pour the lentils into a large saucepan and add cold water based on the water ratio provided in the table above.

Bring water to the boil and simmer according to the cooking time suggested above.

Remember, lentils’ cooking time depends on the variety chosen!

5 to 10 minutes before the cooking time is up, check your lentils and see if they need more time to be cooked.

Bear in mind that some powerful hobs/stoves might cook lentils much faster.

Also, instead of adding cold water, you can use vegetable stock to add more flavour to the cooked lentils.

Lentils could be double or triple the volume once they’re cooked.

Cooked lentils can last four days in the fridge, and frozen ones can last at least two months.

If you plan to freeze cooked lentils, you can undercook them a bit to ensure a better texture once you defrost and cook them with other meals for a few minutes.

What are the health benefits of lentils?

Lentils are a nutritional powerhouse! They are a great source of proteins and dietary fibre.

Besides, lentils have the most potent antioxidant properties compared to other legumes, such as chickpeas or black beans, because of their high selenium.

They’re also rich in folate (B9), magnesium and potassium. Folate helps our blood cells carry more oxygen, and magnesium and potassium naturally decrease blood pressure.

Lentils are once considered ‘poor men’s food‘ because they’re rich in various nutrients but low in price.

They’re versatile ingredients and can be cooked with different dishes.

When we consume lentils regularly, we will receive the following health benefits:

lower blood pressure
reduce inflammation
increase gut health
boost energy
help with metabolism
facilitate bowel movement

So, are you ready to try my go-to lentil soup recipe and reap all the health benefits lentils offer?

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Lentil, carrot and celery soup

healthy, aromatic and comforting soup

Course dinner

Cuisine Indian

Keyword lentil

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Servings 4

Calories 200kcal

Cost £7