gillianfisheruk

[gillianfisheruk]

On the 15th of Veganuary I went extra colourful with.....

Sushi! This is one of the slightly more expensive meals I make, due to ingredients like nori sheets and wasabi paste. It’s still a great deal cheaper to make it than buy it. High street eaterie Wasabi does fantastic sushi and is now labeling items as vegan (hurrah!) but I have come out of there of a lunch time £5 poorer and still a bit peckish. 

As well as being cheaper, making it yourself means you get to choose exactly what filling you fancy and get experimental with a sushi mat. I’ve gone for avocado, beetroot, spring onion and smoked tofu, with some edamame for extra protein. Whilst my rolling technique still has some way to go, at least I can now use my fingers rather than a spoon to eat it. 

[gillianfisheruk]

My 14th Veganuary dinner consisted of.....

Cauliflower cheese! Specifically a cashew nut cheese,with lashings of nooch and turmeric. Whoever discovered just how versatile the cashew nut is, thank you! 

[gillianfisheruk]

13th day of Veganuary and I was out with a friend....

Veggie Platter! Pub/bar food is sometimes a bit limited, so this was a lovely surprise. Lentil curry, spicy aubergine, cumin carrots, guacamole and hot flatbread. PHWOAR! 

This was gorgeous, but was preceded by a very vegan problem. 

Originally, when my dish arrived, I noticed little glints of yellow dusted all over it. After the patented vegan inspection (peering quizzically at your meal through  crossed eyes and giving it a good sniff) I realised the chef had sprinkled parmesan all over the dish as a creative flourish. I should mention, it didn’t mention parmesan on the menu and I’d previously checked the ingredients of the platter.

I am British, so it would usually take a server openly gobbing on my stone cold pasta before I complain. Except where my veganism is concerned.

At first I thought I could just avoid the bits with parmesan, but the chef had done a very comprehensive sprinkle. So I asked the waitress over and explained that it hadn’t said parsemsan on the menu, and I don’t eat dairy. Also, the kitchen should be made aware that as this is billed as vegetarian meal, parmesan is made with animal rennet. (Oh, the times as a vegetarian that a pesto garnish scuppered my plans!) 

They were incredibly nice about it, told me to stop apologising and brought me a new parmesan free dinner which was delicious. But this brings me to an important point. Everyone is different and I know some vegans who would have just eaten the parmesan, reasoning that they hadn’t deliberately ordered it and not eating it wouldn’t stop it having been dished up. That is of course their prerogative. I feel that if it’s possible for me to avoid animal products, I will. 

As previously mentioned, I hate causing a fuss and this was honestly one of the reasons I put off going vegan for so bloody long. Asking the server if the bread is made with oil or butter and could they please check if the kitchen uses egg in their bean burger still feels incredibly persnickety and entitled....BUT.....

You’re paying for your dinner. It’s totally reasonable that you ask about what you’re having. Also, asking the kitchen not to put yoghurt dressing on your salad or leave the egg out of your Pad Thai usually doesn’t create much more work for the chef. Having said this, wherever possible I will check the menu online to see what I can have. Many chains also have online allergen menus which are a vegan-God-send. But sometimes you will just have to ask a few questions. Provided you do so politely, the staff have no reason to be irked.

If you do end up with a non-vegan dish, sending it back does not make you a demanding food snob. It just makes you a customer with specific needs who is as entitled as anyone with a food allergy or religious dietary requirement to eat out. I do occasionally have to remind myself of this! But if I hadn’t, I would have missed out on those aubergines. They were amazing!

[gillianfisheruk]

On the 12th of Veganuary I decided to get creative and make my own mozzarella

to put atop my stuffed peppers. 

[gillianfisheruk]

Veganuary the 11th and I went really classy

With a night out at Nandos! Their veggie burger is vegan, and can be served in a bun, wrap or pitta. Just ask for it without the mayo.

[gillianfisheruk]

Tonight Matthew, on the 10th of Veganuary I shall be having...

Tom Yum Noodles.

[gillianfisheruk]

On the 9th day of Veganuary, I decided to go Italian

with some gnocchi, garlic leeks and mushrooms. I’m afraid I didn’t make the gnocchi myself, but I did open the packet unaided. Bellisima!

[gillianfisheruk]

8 days of proper dinners for Veganuary....

And I was too knackered to cook. But hurrah for jacket potatoes! A filling and substantial dinner in about ten minutes. Also, never dismiss the nutritional value of the humble baked bean.

[gillianfisheruk]

Day 7 of Veganuary & the lentils have landed.

Ah, the lentil. Boundless in variety, rich in protein and delicious in a tarka dal. These legumes are a staple foodstuff throughout much of Asia and for good reason. They're incredibly nutritious, cheap and versatile. Yet for many years I considered the lentil to be the very dullest of pulses. They put me in mind of the sweepings from the bottom of a hamster cage; dusty pellets of chaff. It turned out, this was not the fault of the lentil, but how they were cooked - basically they had been boiled then slopped on the plate.

I discovered that when slow cooked, lentils take on an earthy, nutty flavour. They have a satisfying chewiness and slight butteriness. They are also flavour sponges, absorbing whatever seasonings and flavours you put them with. I love a garam masala lentil loaf or hearty lentil soup heavy on the thyme. Not just the reserve of hippie hearted students, the lentil is a culinary chameleon of a pulse.

With this in mind, here is my dinner of split pea shepherds pie. Serious vegan comfort food.

#Veganuary #vegan #lentils #shepherdspie

[gillianfisheruk]

6 Days of Veganuary Dinners

And I’ve finally got creative. This beetroot curry is from a recipe by Meera Soda, which happens to be gorgeous; the perfect blend of sweet and hot.

Served with green bean mallum and I added roasted cauliflower instead of rice. My meals often vary slightly from the given recipe or standard culinary combinations. Aside from not having stuff in and not being that good cook, my tweaks are usually for one of two reasons.

1) I am fat and attempting to be less so.

2) I am cheap. I have no intention of changing this, it is a matter of pride. 

[gillianfisheruk]

6 Days of Veganuary Dinners

And I’ve finally got creative. This beetroot curry is from a recipe by Meera Soda, which happens to be gorgeous; the perfect blend of sweet and hot.

Served with green bean mallum and I added roasted cauliflower instead of rice. My meals often vary slightly from the given recipe or standard culinary combinations. Aside from not having stuff in and not being that good cook, my tweaks are usually for one of two reasons.

1) I am fat and attempting to be less so.

2) I am cheap. I have no intention of changing this, it is a matter of pride. 

[gillianfisheruk]

Five days into Veganuary 2018

Falafel: When one is entirely satiated with fala

#Veganuary #Vegan #ComptoirLibanais #FatoushSalad #Falafelofjoy

[gillianfisheruk]

Five days into Veganuary 2018

Falafel: When one is entirely satiated with fala

#Veganuary #Vegan #ComptoirLibanais #FatoushSalad #Falafelofjoy

[gillianfisheruk]

6 Days of Veganuary Dinners

And I’ve finally got creative. This beetroot curry is from a recipe by Meera Soda, which happens to be gorgeous; the perfect blend of sweet and hot.

Served with green bean mallum and I added roasted cauliflower instead of rice. My meals often vary slightly from the given recipe or standard culinary combinations. Aside from not having stuff in and not being that good cook, my tweaks are usually for one of two reasons.

1) I am fat and attempting to be less so.

2) I am cheap. I have no intention of changing this, it is a matter of pride. 

[gillianfisheruk]

Five days into Veganuary 2018

Falafel: When one is entirely satiated with fala

#Veganuary #Vegan #ComptoirLibanais #FatoushSalad #Falafelofjoy

[gillianfisheruk]

On the fourth day of Veganuary.....

I got in late and anything involving peeling or simmering was beyond me. So, I made mushroom fried rice. 

#Veganuary #Vegan #Simplebutsatisfying

[gillianfisheruk]

On the third day of Veganuary...

Meal number three- Thai green curry. Made with green curry paste (is actually cheaper than making it) coconut milk, loads of veggies and stacks of chickpeas.