GOING VEGAN- PANTRY STAPLES

PROTEINS
‘Where do you get your protein?’ (The predictable question that every Vegan hates!)
For every meal I aim to have at least one of these on my plate. But don’t get too obsessed.
We all eat WAY too much protein. The push to eat more protein is one of the biggest
marketing ploys EVER. Do you know that our bodies actually produce protein already?
People wrongly assume that going vegan means that you don’t get enough protein and this
couldn’t be further from the truth. There are SO many protein rich foods in a vegan diet and
I would argue that I get more now than I ever did. So, here are some staples that I always
have in the house and I try to include them in at least one of my meals every day. The
reason I do this is to make sure that I’m full (because I have a fear that without it the meal
won’t be filling enough for me) but that in itself is a fallacy because being on a vegan diet
means you can eat as many good carbs as you want! (More on that later).

Here are the foods I always have in the house:

Lentils- I have a mix of green and red dried lentils (to add to soups, stews and curries) and a
couple of cans of cooked lentils (for emergencies!)

Chickpeas- I LOVE these and I buy them canned because I’m too lazy to cook them. They are
so incredibly versatile. I use them to replace meat in curry, blitz them up into soups, put
them in stews, make hummus (so easy!) and they are a great alternative to meat in Mexican
dishes like tacos. They are also a great lunch option because you could pan-fry them with
some seasoning and have them warm on a salad or in a wrap OR you can mix with vegan
mayonnaise, garlic, salt etc and mash them up and it’s like eating egg mayo (but tastier and
healthier!!) They are my new fav food. Also, if you save the juice (aquafaba) you can make
meringues, mayo, cream, cakes…it works as an egg substitute.

Beans- All kinds! I buy them canned as I’m lazy but I have read you can cook them in the
slow cooker so I might give that a try and then freeze them! I think having frozen beans
would be great. Black beans are my current favs. They are so perfect with Mexican dishes, in
soups and chillies and I also use them to make bean burgers. Another incredible thing is you
can take beans, put some salt and seasoning on them (I like garlic powder and paprika) and
then place them on a baking tray with baking paper and roast in the oven on 210c for 30
mins. They go crunchy and you can eat them as a snack instead of crisps or use them to top
salads. I did it with black eyed beans and they were DELICIOUS! It’s taken me a while to fall
for beans but now I’m well and truly hooked!

Tofu- Hard and soft. There are two types of tofu and both are good to have! Silken tofu is
soft and can be used to make scrambled ‘eggs, desserts or for creamy pasta sauces. The firm
tofu (I buy cauldron brand from Morrisons) is in water and before you cook with it you drain
it, wrap it in a teatowel and put something heavy on top and leave it for at least 30 minutes
so it squeezes as much water out as possible. This tofu can then be used for stir fries,
quiche….loads of things. It’s a super easy way to add protein and loads of flavour to so many
dishes!
Tempeh- This is a little trickier to find (I get mine from abel and cole) but it’s a more
unrefined version of tofu so the soy beans are often quite chunky in it and it has a nutty
flavour. Like tofu it can be very boring if not cooked the right way but if it is….it is mind
blowing! It’s sturdier than tofu so again, it can be used in stirfries but it’s also great broken
up as a mince substitute in Bolognese or in tacos. And because it’s not as processed it’s even
healthier than tofu!

Edamame Beans- These are also known as soy beans and I keep a frozen packet in the
freezer. They are great to add to stir-fries to bulk them out and they are very nutritious!

Green Jackfruit- So technically this isn’t a protein but it’s a fantastic meat substitute and a
‘must have’ in the house. You can buy it in tins at the supermarket normally in the canned
aisle. Perfect to use as an alternative for pulled pork, in tacos or wraps, in curries or you can
roast it for your Sunday roast and it’s INCREDIBLE. It’s so versatile and delicious. Because it’s
unripened it has a really hardy meaty texture which is why it’s the perfect substitute
because it also takes on any flavour you decide to throw at it!

CARBOHYDRATES (GRAINS)
Ok, so carbs come in SO many different forms. A lollipop is carbs, so is spinach and so is rice.
So not all carbs are created equal! The aim is to be eating as many wholefood based carbs as
possible. This means lay low on the white rice, white pasta, white bread (unless it’s
sourdough as that’s easier to digest and better for you) and refined sugar. You really should
only be eating refined sugar as a treat (easier said than done, I know!)

Oats- Perfect to have on hand for breakie (overnight oats), smoothies or to bake with. I bake
so many of my cookies and muffins with oats or I make healthy muesli bars or bliss balls. I
tend to have a mix of the quick cook ones and the jumbo oats (for texture).

Brown Rice- Just replace white rice with brown! Takes a little longer to cook but so much
healthier and I actually prefer it.

Noodles- Wholewheat , buckwheat or brown rice are best. You want to try and limit your
intake of refined (white) noodles.

Pasta (Wholewheat/Spelt/Brown Rice/Lentil)- There are so many pasta options now, you
don’t have to stick to just white pasta. Obviously you can still eat it but whole grain is best
for health.

Quinoa- I have a mixed relationship with quinoa. It’s a great source of protein but I have to
be in the mood to eat it! But it’s nice in salads and as an alternative to rice.

Cous Cous- Great in Moroccan dishes, stews or with salads. My favourite is giant cous cous
but you can get a few different varieties. It comes dried but it’s super quick to cook!

Buckwheat/Spelt Barley/Pearl Barley- These are really low GI grains and fab to add to
soups, stews or to make risotto instead of traditional arborio rice.
Arborio Rice- More refined but still ok to use from time to time. I sometimes mix it with
pearl barley! It’s then more nutritious and has a nice texture too.

Taco Shells/Corn Wraps- Whilst they’re probably not considered the healthiest of foods I
always like to have these in the house as I LOVE Mexican food.

FLOURS
Wholewheat Flour/White bread flour- Perfect to make breads or naan breads for curries
Gram Flour- Made from chickpeas this is perfect to make flat wraps for kebabs, Indian meals
etc. It’s super high in protein and carb free!
Plain Flour- For cakes and flat breads
Coconut Flour- A high protein alternative to baked goods

CARBOHYDRATES (VEG)
BUY A SHITLOAD. Let me tell you, you will double or triple your intake of fruits and veg
(particularly veg) when you start eating a more plant based diet. I order a large box every
week and I still buy more from the store! Any veg not eaten can be blended up into a soup
so it’s never wasted. You should aim at eating a wide range of colours. The more colours on
your plant the more varied nutrients you’re getting. These are some of my ‘must haves’ but I
try to eat as seasonally as possible (still a work in progress!)

Green Leafy Veg- This is the most nutritious so you should always have things like spinach,
kale or broccoli in the house

Starchy Veg- Potatoes are great to eat (they used to have a bad wrap!) Obviously sweet
potato is better but just make sure you always leave the skins on as that’s where the
nutrients are!

Mushrooms- These make a fantastic mince substitute when making chillies or Bolognese.
I’m obsessed with mushrooms (and have been since I was around 5 years old) so I always
have them in the house.

Aubergine- Again, these add a really rich meaty texture to things like Bolognese, lasagne
and curries. I often roast them for an hour until they go quite mushy and then add them into
a dish to bulk out the sauce. I bloody love them!!

Cherry Tomatoes- I love having these in the fridge as they’re perfect in salads, on
sandwiches or cooked up into a pasta dish. So versatile!

Onions- My fav are red onions. I put them in everything! I buy a bag and they’ll last me a
week or more!

Carrots- The perfect staple to have. I always make soup with them, they are perfect for a
snack with hummus or grated in pasta sauces, cut up for curries or roasted in the oven (my
fav) and served with tacos or burritos!
Avocados- Being an Aussie I ALWAYS have these in the house. They are high in protein and
unsaturated (good) fats so perfect to fill you up on salads, on toast, smashed up and eaten
with Mexican food or chilli….I LOVE them beyond words.

CARBOHYDRATES (FRUIT)
Again, buy a huge variety! The more colour the better but these are some staples we like to
have all the time:

Bananas- Perfect for smoothies, as a snack or for baking sweet treats. Overripe bananas are
the perfect substitute to eggs and sugar when baking things like muffins and cakes. Also, you
can chop them up and freeze them and then blend them up to make a healthy version of
icecream!

Berries- We love berries so we will always have strawberries, blueberries or rasberries. If

they’re out of season you can also get frozen berries which are perfect for smoothies and
desserts.

Lemons- I always have these in the fridge as every day I drink hot water and half a lemon.
It’s an incredible detox and packed with vitamin C!

All the other fruit we get is seasonal. Sometimes we have grapes, sometimes we have kiwi
fruits or nectarines or pineapple or apples….it depends what’s in the weekly box!

SUGARS (in order of health, to be used sparingly!)

Maple Syrup- This is the healthiest sugar (apart from fruit) so perfect for baking, drizzling on
puds and can even be used in savoury dishes
Agave Nectar- Perfect alternative to honey
Coconut Sugar- Healthier than white sugar and I often use it when baking
Brown Sugar- For baking and to add to sauces etc

DAIRY ALTERNATIVES
MILK:
This is the easiest one to replace. There are just so many kinds! But make sure you always
buy unsweetened. Here are my favs:

Oat Milk- Perfect for coffees/teas or on cereal as it’s creamy and froths up. It’s also the
most environmentally friendly milk as it uses the least amount of resources to produce!
Soy Milk- Great in smoothies, on cereal or used in baking
Hazelnut Milk- This is nice with coffee but doesn’t froth up
Coconut Milk- The carton is good in coffee and smoothies (but doesn’t really froth up) but
the cans are a MUST HAVE. Buy full fat as they’re the same price as low fat and the fats are
unsaturated and it’ll be more filling. Perfect to add to curries, soups or I make my own
yoghurt out of full fat coconut milk! You can also whip it up to make cream!
*A Note on Almond Milk*- I don’t buy this because it’s the least environmentally friendly of
the plant-based milks as it uses a lot of water and apparently can be destructive to bees. I’m
also not a massive fan of the taste as it’s very watery. However, it’s still way better and less
destructive than dairy!
Yoghurts- There are a variety of these but make sure they are unsweetened. Nick likes soy
and I like coconut (but prefer making my own as it’s cheaper, more delicious and so easy!)

Cheese- There are vegan cheeses in every big grocery store but some are better than others.
None of them are as good as real cheese and all of them are heavily processed so I tend to
avoid them. I just leave cheese out of most dishes and come up with delicious alternatives
and to be honest I don’t even miss it! But you can also make cheese at home out of nuts. As
long as you have a decent blender you’re good to go! It’s super easy, much more healthy
and delicious. 

Cream/Custard- You can buy soy or oat alternatives or you can make your own cream by
whipping up the hard part in a can of coconut milk or whipping up aquafaba (chickpea juice)

SNACK FOODS FOR HEALTHY FATS/PROTEIN

Nuts- I have cashew nuts (a ‘must have’ if you want to create cashew cheese or cashew
cream) almonds (whole and slivered) and walnuts. I do a lot of baking so I have nuts all the
time. They are also a good snack, as long as you don’t eat too many as they are high in fats!
(but at least it’s the good kind).

Seeds- Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds and flaxseed. These are the staples for
any vegan. They are rich in Omega 3’s which vegans can’t get as they are found in eggs and
fish. However, unlike eggs and fish which have unhealthy animal fats, seeds are full of
unsaturated fats. Perfect for adding to cereals/oats in the morning, sprinkling on a salad and
baking (flaxseed can be mixed with water and acts as an egg replacement!)

Peanut Butter- I ALWAYS have peanut butter. Perfect for baking, to eat as a snack and to
add to curries and sauces! There are other nut butters too like cashew butter, almond butter
and tahini (made from sunflower seeds and perfect when making hummus).

SPICES
Ok, so if you don’t have the space for all of these then streamline it or you can always cheat
and buy a ‘mexican blend’ ‘tikka masala blend’ ‘Italian blend’ etc. However, I use these ALL
THE TIME. Once you have them you realise that they all cross over whether you’re making
Mexican, Indian or Italian.

Indian/Mexican:
Smoked Paprika- I’m obsessed. Perfect for Mexican but I also put it on roast potatoes,
crispy kale, smashed avo, in soup….basically EVERYTHING.
Cumin- An Indian staple but also good on tofu eggs and in soups to give them a bit of a kick
Ground Coriander- Again, used in Indian cooking
Garlic powder/granules- So versatile! I use it for practically EVERYTHING.
Onion powder/granules- So versatile!
Mild Chilli Powder- A ‘must’ for chillies, Indian, Mexican etc
Turmeric- Another Indian spice and a SUPERFOOD. Also, can be sprinkled onto tofu eggs so
they look like eggs!
Fenugreek- This has come up in a few Indian recipes but I don’t use it often
Italian Spices: The ones listed below are the ones I use most often!
Rosemary- Perfect for seasoning veg or soup
Thyme- Perfect for seasoning veg or soup
Oregano- This is in quite a lot of recipes
Sage- This is amazing in the roasted jackfruit recipe!

Spices (Sweet): These aren’t as essential unless you do a lot of baking or make more
specialist dishes so you could probably go easy on these if you don’t have the room!
Cinnamon- I have this everyday on my cereal but it’s also perfect for chillies and for baking
Ginger- Good if you don’t have any fresh ginger at hand!
Cardamon Pods- Perfect for Indian cooking. I don’t use very often
Nutmeg
Cloves

CONDIMENTS
Lemon Juice & Lime Juice- I always have these bottled in the fridge. Perfect for dressings,
Asian stirfries, baking, making vegan cheese or seasoning guac! Also takes the spice out of
food if you’ve added too much chilli!
Extra Virgin Olive Oil- For cooking on low-medium temperatures, salad dressings or baking
Sesame Oil- Good for stirfries and Asian dressings & higher temperatures
Coconut oil- Use sparingly as it’s not great for you! But good to have for baking (also great
for skin and hair and I feed a teaspoon to my dog every day!)
Balsamic Vinegar- Perfect for salad dressings or to flavour tomato rich meals
Rice Wine Vinegar- Perfect for Asian dressings and stirfries
White Vinegar- This helps take the spice out if you go a bit heavy on the spice in your
curries/chillies!
Soy Sauce/Tamari Sauce- Not only great for Asian dishes but it adds a depth of flavour to
things like Bolognese and can be used instead of stock
Miso Paste- Perfect when making cheese or giving dishes the essential ‘umami’ flavour
Veggie Stock Cubes- I buy mushroom ones as well as normal veggie (always organic!)
Olives, capers and pickles- I’m obsessed! They add SO much flavour to many dishes like
salads, pastas, pizza, risottos etc.
Sundried Tomatoes- Again, perfect to add to pasta and salads for a real flavour burst!

Nutritional Yeast (with added B12)- This is a MUST HAVE for any vegan. This can be bought
from Holland & Barrett, online or at other more specialist shops. Despite the off-putting
name it is a POWERHOUSE when it comes to protein and health. It comes in flake form and
it tastes cheesy! It’s perfect when you want to replicate cheesy dishes like carbonara and
you can also stir it into soup, sprinkle it on pasta instead of parmesan or on salads or use it
to make salad dressing. A little goes a long way and if you make sure you get on with B12
you will make sure you have all your B vitamins.

Kala Namak (Black Salt)- This can be bought online and because of it’s high sulphur content
it makes things taste like eggs! Perfect for adding to tofu scramble or when making
carbonara. A little goes a long way!
Blog Topics:
Vegan snacks and protein and affordability
Supplements
Vegan baking- the ins and outs of how tos