Month: January 2023

A twist on the traditional recipe, this beetroot hummus is a tasty addition to any meal. Beetroots are a great source of nutrition too; they’re filled with fibre, iron and vitamin C. Plus, they’re great for improving blood flow making this hummus ideal for a post-workout snack. 

Ingredients:

1 cup of chickpeas

1 cup of beetroot

Lemon juice

Tahini

Olive oil

Salt and pepper  

Method:

First blend the chickpeas and lemon juice until the texture is smooth, then add the beetroot and tahini along with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

You can follow along with my how-to video here!

I often find that vegan ice cream can be really expensive and full of unhealthy additives, so I thought why not try making some at home? The most appealing part about this vegan blender recipe is how versatile it is – just swap out the banana for a fruit of your choice to mix it up. 

Ingredients: 

2 frozen bananas

50 ml plant-based milk

2 tsp vanilla essence

Ice 

Method:

To make this delicious dessert, all you need to do is pop the ingredients into the blender and turn it on. It’s that simple! Tip it out into a bowl and feel free to add any toppings of your choice. 

Check out my how-to video here!

This vegan pesto recipe is amazing for meal prepping as it can stay in the fridge for a few days. Use it as a dip, with pasta or even in sandwiches and salads. It’s an incredibly healthy alternative, too! The avocado is especially filled with vitamins, fibre and monounsaturated fats.

Ingredients:

Half an avocado

Handful of fresh basil

Handful of pine nuts

Vegan cheese

2 tbsp olive oil

Pinch of Himalayan salt

Black pepper 

Method:

This vegan blender recipe calls for half an avocado, fresh basil, vegan cheese, and pine nuts. Add to the blender along with the olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of Himalayan salt and black pepper. Blend until the texture is smooth and consistent – the perfect sauce for pasta and pizza dishes. 

Watch my how-to video here! 

Embracing a vegan diet shouldn’t feel like a chore. By swapping out a few ingredients in your favourite recipes for plant-based alternatives, you can easily make any meal vegan-friendly. Since adopting a plant-based diet is rising in popularity, suitable recipes are abundant online and there are many ingredients in-store to help support your goals. If you’re on the go, mixing up some healthy ingredients in a blender is a great way to easily incorporate vegan goodness into your diet. 

While prepping vegan meals at home can become an easy habit, eating out often stops us in our tracks when trying to embrace a vegan diet fully. Though many chain restaurants now offer plant-based and vegan alternatives, some establishments are still lacking in options. Be sure to think ahead when you’re planning a meal out and research the places that can support your vegan diet, as these are the ones that you’ll keep coming back to!

Sticking to a diet can be tricky, and the thought of slipping off is daunting. But momentary lapses are only normal and might be circumstantial, like a restaurant not providing vegan food options, or accidentally eating something non-vegan. Don’t beat yourself up if this happens – as long as you can recognise the reasons why and get back on track, then you can continue on your journey.

As with any change or new habit, embracing a new diet takes time and effort, it’s important to give yourself time to ease into the process. If you were previously a meat eater and want to commit to eating plant-based alternatives every day, that might be too much of a change to make all at once. If you’re finding it tough, try going vegan once a week. At the end of the day, anything we can do to make a difference to animals, our planet and ourselves, is a huge step in the right direction.

Surrounding yourself with like-minded people that are on the same journey as you is a great way to immerse yourself in veganism and be motivated to keep it up. There are many chefs, authors and nutritionists out there who share great content on their websites and socials. As well as Veganuary, I would recommend following Oh She Glows, Deliciously Ella, Tracey McQuirter’s By Any Greens Necessary and Michelle Cehn with World Of Vegan. Plus, I also share regular content about veganism on my social channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and TikTok) if you’d like to follow my journey.

Remember to stand by your reasons for embracing a vegan diet. Whether that’s because you wanted to make positive changes to your mind and body or protect animals by reducing meat consumption, referring back to your “why” will keep you motivated and committed along your journey. There are many books out there to educate on the importance of veganism, many of which are on my reading wishlist, if you’d like to take a look!

One of the most important micronutrients, iron supports natural growth and development. Your body uses iron to make haemoglobin, the protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body from the lungs, and myoglobin, the protein that provides oxygen to your muscles. Your body also requires iron to make many of the hormones it makes naturally. 

Some of my favourite sources of iron are lentils, beans, tofu, dark chocolate and dried apricots – or, you can boost your daily requirement with iron tablets.

Vitamin B-12 (also known as cobalamin) is essential for bone health, red blood cell formation, nerve function and the production of DNA. It is also closely associated with mood regulation and energy levels. 

One of my favourite sources of B12 is marmite, but I also take an IV drip twice a month to top up on B12. If you don’t want to take B12 via IV, or there is nowhere close to you that offers the service, you can also find B12 tablets at most pharmacies or health food stores.

An important ingredient in the recipe for DNA, zinc is also vital for building proteins, healing damaged tissue and supporting a healthy immune system. It is particularly important during periods of growth, such as childhood and pregnancy, as it helps cells to multiply and grow.

Some of my favourite sources of zinc are quinoa, chickpeas, beans, hemp seeds and pumpkin seeds.

While these five nutrients are widely considered the most important, there are actually 20 vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function properly. Scroll to the bottom of this blog for the full list, with sources and recommended daily allowances (RDAs). 

Contemplating the micronutrients in your diet can feel quite daunting, but don’t worry! The chances are, your diet is probably already rich in most of the nutrients your body needs. The best way to find out is to monitor your food intake through a diet-tracking app like MyFitnessPal, Cronometer or MyMacros+. This way, you can see if you’re already hitting your RDAs and, if you’re not, you can make some adjustments to ensure you are (such as taking supplements or adding a new ingredient to your usual breakfast, lunch or dinner).

Vitamin D helps your body to absorb and retain calcium and phosphate – nutrients which are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with bone deformities, pain and chronic inflammation, so it is important to keep up your intake. 

Some of my favourite sources of vitamin D are portobello mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, almond milk and lots of sunshine!

Omega 3 fatty acids are linked to many health benefits, including reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, improving eye health, improving risk factors of heart disease and reducing inflammation. They have been shown to help prevent heart disease, strokes, cancer, and may even control lupus, eczema and rheumatoid arthritis. 

Some of my favourite sources of omega 3 are algae, seaweed, flax seeds and spirulina.