The Accidental Vegan
Kate Darwin
What can you cook when you discover that your guest is vegan? My initial reaction to the news that our new lodger didn't eat animal products [no meat, fish, dairy, honey, eggs] was to declare that he couldn't stay long! That's because I concentrated initially on the things I couldn't cook - and had realised that some of my favourite vegetarian dishes would only "convert" if I ventured into buying weird substitutes for cheese, milk and so on.
However, I decided to see how many dishes I could cook that required no ersatz ingredients and I gradually realised that we could all enjoy a huge variety of plant-based meals together. (Our lodger stayed 3 months.)
The recipes in this booklet are vegan friendly but they are intended mainly for occasional vegan cooking. I was only providing one meal a day: our guest would be considering whether he needed to supplement his diet at other mealtimes. To keep healthy, vegans do have to know how to balance their nutritional requirements. So, if you are thinking of converting wholly, you will need to take advice.
I like not being a vegan because I want to cook without worrying about the presence or otherwise of particular nutriments. I aim for a variety of ingredients and dishes that will be both tasty and attractive to omnivores, vegetarians and vegans.
NB T = 15ml tablespoon, t = 5ml teaspoon