Start your vegan journey with these quick-fix meals

Chennai

With the recent Golden Globe Awards having served celebrities an all-vegan menu, and the soon-to-be-hosted to also be mostly plant-based, discussions and studies on how vegan food can help cut down carbon emissions have been coming to the fore. If you’re planning to go vegan and don’t know how to, here are a few recipes from city-based experts that will help you make the switch, without compromising on the taste. These recipes also offer a template to recreate the dishes with alternate ingredients.

These recipes can be followed to make wholesome, gourmet dishes using ingredients that are accessible to everyone easily. For instance, use carrots and potatoes with some vegetable broth to create a hearty carrot bisque. And throw in some pomegranate juice, bananas, peaches, beets and carrots together for an anti-oxidant-rich drink. Create a crunchy salad out of commonly found chickpeas, quinoa and bell peppers.

Masala carrot bisque

Ingredients: 

Organic carrots: 2-3 large ones unpeeled

Medium-sized potato: 1 unpeeled

Onion: 1 chopped small

Fresh ginger: 1 tsp minced

Curry powder: 1 ½ tsp

Vegetable broth: 1 ¾ cup

Cashew cream: 2-4 tbsp

Himalayan salt: to taste

Method: 

• Add the washed unpeeled carrots, potato, chopped onions, ginger and curry powder to a soup pot and cover with vegetable broth. 
• Simmer the ingredients for 20-25 minutes over medium heat, until the carrots turn soft. 
• Allow to cool down slightly and puree in a blender (make sure the mixture is at room temperature), working in batches if needed. 
• Return the mixture to heat and stir in cashew cream until well combined. 
• Season generously with Himalayan pink salt to taste. 
• Serve hot or chill until cold. 
• This carrot bisque will thicken as it cools. So if eating it cold, you may want to add a bit of extra liquid before serving. 
• Garnish with air fried potato matchsticks, microgreens and edible flowers.

Anti-oxidant purple drink

Ingredients: 

Pomegranate juice: 400 ml

Banana: 120 gm

Peach: 40 gm

Carrot: 40 gm

Beetroot: 40 gm

Method: 

• Mix together fresh pomegranate juice, banana pieces, peach, carrot and beetroot – all cut into small pieces – in a blender. 
• Sieve the mixture and pour into two 300 ml glasses/bottles/mason jars. 
• The ingredients yield two portions of the anti-oxidant rich purple juice.

Pomegranate quinoa salad with chickpeas, bell peppers

Ingredients: 

Quinoa: 180 gm

Chickpeas: 180 gm

Pomegranate: 180 gm

Red capsicum: 90 gm

Yellow capsicum: 90 gm

Green capsicum: 90 gm

Pesto sauce: 160 ml

For pesto sauce: 

Basil leaves: 80 gm

Almonds: 40 gm

Garlic: 20 gm

Olive oil: 40 ml

Salt: 5 gm

Crushed pepper: 5 gm

Method: 

• Mix together the cooked quinoa, boiled chickpeas, baked coloured capsicum pieces and the pomegranate in a salad bowl. 
• Make the pesto sauce by mixing basil leaves, soaked almonds, olive oil, seasoning and roasted garlic in a blender and sieve the paste. 
• Add the dressing to the salad as per requirement and taste. The ingredients make salad good enough for four portions. 
• Garnish the salad with basil leaves and serve.

Compiled by Bhavana Akella

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