Getting Started
BE FLEXIBLE
Whilst this might be controversial, these are my feelings and there isn’t really a rule book. Be flexible on your strict veganism when eating out or in your friends’ houses. If I was preparing food for a dinner party, getting a litany of dietary requests would drive me mad, so I try not to be that person.
Food is a social way to come together and the company and atmosphere takes precedence for me. My stance on eating has always been control what I can, go with the flow otherwise, and I try to never make anyone feel awkward.
Don’t ruin a dinner party or sit with an empty plate making everyone feel awkward. Eat well before and try what you like and don’t draw too much attention to yourself. I always offer to bring a dish that I know I can eat and honestly it makes me really hppy when I see others enjoying it too!
GET THE GEAR
In terms of equipping your kitchen there are some investment pieces. Thankfully now most vegan staples can be bought so for example if you are contemplating a Spiralizer purchase - most supermarkets have them already prepped so you can trial them a few times before taking the plunge. Equally if you find yourself constantly buying energy balls, a good food processor will be a worthwhile purchase, and once you start making your own almond milk you will be blown away by the taste.
Kitchen Gadgets
A STRONG FOOD PROCESSOR
I’m going to be honest here, the day we got our food processor my husband was in a state of shock for about an hour. Processing dates, almond butter and grinding nuts puts a lot of pressure on a motor and you need a strong wattage, otherwise it will soon burn out. The one I use has a 950 watt motor and came with a 7 year warranty. It also came with a price tag that we stared incredulously at but it has been solidly put to the test for over 3 years and was completely worthwhile.
A BLENDER
For making nut milks, smoothies, sauces and blending soups a blender is essential. A high-powered blender has 1,000 to 1,560 watts of power and has the ability to do things that other blenders can’t do. It liquifies leafy greens and vegetables in smoothies so they go entirely unnoticed, it blends soaked cashews to a fine puree that resembles mousse in moments and makes almond milk super fast. Some come with travel cups and useful accessories which are great for taking your morning smoothie with you and saving on washing up a separate cup.
A COLD- PRESS JUICER.
I have a slow press juicer - which uses a low heat and grinds the fruit to a pulp rather than one with a fast-spinning metal blade which generates heat, which destroys some of the enzymes in the fruits and vegetables you’re juicing.
As there is very little heat used the juice remains preserved for up to 3 days so I can make it in advance. It’s a but slower and more chopping is required but it saves time in the long run as usually I make my juice the night before.
To be honest I rarely buy ready made juice as I know for the price of the vegetables - which is pretty nominal - I can make an amazing glass of juice in a matter of minutes so this has definitely been a worthwhile purchase.
A SPRIALIZER
Personally I don’t recommend the hand versions as I have seen and heard of too many accidents happen with them. I have a horizontal spiralizer and all parts can be washed in the dishwasher. It’s also very light and easily stores in the cupboard. For courgetti, carrots and squash noodles this is essential. At a push you could use a vegetable peeler in place but it will be a lot more work.
A DEHYDRATOR
A dehydrator really isn’t essential at all and they tend to take up a lot of kitchen counter real estate. I have one and I use it for my kale crisps and crackers. They can also be used for fermentation and tempering chocolate but I wouldn’t consider them high priority or essential unless you are passionate about raw ‘cooking’ which is where ingredients are not heated above 47* therefore the nutrients remain intact, whilst your food is dried and preserved.
Additional items that are very useful:
A HAND BLENDER
- this saves you washing up the jug when blending soups and sauces as you can use it directly in the pot. Most come with a whipping element also which is handy and portable for mixing cake batters, again without a separate bowl to wash up.
TUPPERWARE AND A THERMOS STYLE FLASK
For meal prepping or eating on-the-go simple sealable dishwasher and freezer safe Tupperware is so useful. I try an avoid single use plastics so sandwich bags and the like are out and I look for reusable alternatives that I can easily wash.
If you want to have your soups and stews warm with you a heated flask can keep them hot for up to 8 hours.
Ensure you temper them first by either pouring ice cold or hot water in first to warm the barrel.
GOOD KNIVES
Growing up my dad was always terrified of having sharp knives in the house but interestingly I later discovered that mostaccidents occur because the knife isn’t sharp enough. You will be doing a lot of
chopping and to speed up your prep a few good knives are essential. Investing in a small fruit knife is a good idea. They tend to be slightly rounded and are brilliant for removing peel very easily from citrus fruit. Most knives often come with plastic casing which they can be stored in.
FRESH CHOPPING BOARDS
Depending on how you feel, a simple purchase can be a dedicated vegan chopping board. Ideally get one in a different colour or somehow easily distinguishable from your existing ones. Some people will have dedicated vegan kitchenware - ie - pots and pans but a chopping board that has never had meat on it is a nice fresh start.
Ensure those around you know that it’s just for vegan food prep.
I also have a dedicated onion and garlic board as I find no matter how much you scrub, the smell lingers. It’s only a small addition but it stops desserts ever potentially having a lingering taste of onion!
Things to look out for when making any electrical equipment purchase
Ensure there is child safety catches on all. It amazes me that high-powered blenders can function at serious speed without the lid being on. Look out and avoid these.
Clarify the warranty and any conditions. Some warranties are voided if a part of the item is cleaned in the dishwasher so double check this.
Sign up and wait for the deals - These are the kind of items worth keeping an eye out for around ‘Black Friday’ discount days or signing up for their company newsletters for flash sales. They rarely go into sale season but there will often be special offers and once-off discounts.