HELP - any vegans about?

[teentraumas]

My sons German exchange arrived tonight and she is vegan! Can I ask for help!!!

Which is the best supermarket for vegan labelling and vegan substitutes

If possible some recipe ideas, preferably reasonably easy!!

TIA

[GingerAndTheBiscuits]

All of them are pretty good these days, assuming you live in a reasonably sized town.

BBC GoodFood website has a vegan category which will bring up loads of options.

[GingerAndTheBiscuits]

Can you take her shopping with you? She'll probably already have a good idea of what she can and can't eat.

[GingerAndTheBiscuits]

Some things we eat off the top of my head:
Leek risotto and garlic bread
Dahl and rice
Veggie bolognese/lasagne
Fajitas with tofu instead of chicken
Jacket potatoes + beans, humus, vegan cheese
Ratatouille and couscous

[GingerAndTheBiscuits]

Milk wise most common non-dairy substitute is soya milk but you will find a vast array in the supermarket - almond, coconut etc - so maybe check her preference. Butter/Marg easily replaced by Vitalite or Pure spread

[chaosmonkey]

Vitalite is the best tasting vegan butter substitute. Linda McCartney sausages are vegan. Check for preferences with milk subs (I hate it when people get in sweetened soya milk with vanilla, but others love it! Nothing worse than feeling like you have to drink awful tea for a week because someone had been thoughtful!)

[chaosmonkey]

That was a great cross post!

[AnnieOnnieMouse]

Take her to Lidl and Aldi to do some shopping - she is likely to be used to those shops, and the brands in them.

[stilllearnin]

I'm vegan. It really isn't hard. It's basically veggie without the eggs or dairy. I think cooking for an exchange student is quite hard anyway. So yes, either take her shopping or keep it simple. A veggie chilli or curry is vegan. But things like salad, cous cous, falafel, avocado etc are good too. Vegan substitutes are not usually good at all. I'd stick to very simple real food. Stir fry veg with nuts and chick peas and rice noodles. That sort of thing.

I have a new dp and he is carnivorous. He has turned into the best vegan chef I know very quickly using the internet! There's tonnes of recipes online.

[FeelingSmurfy]

I like pure spread and drink koko coconut milk

Quorn have just brought out a vegan range (clearly marked, the rest of the stuff is just veggie)

Baked potato, lentil soup, veg soups (check leek and potato etc for cream), pasta and vegan pesto (easy to get hold of) or tomato based sauce, salad, mash with vegan sausages and gravy

[stilllearnin]

Sacla do a vegan pesto, available most places like co-op or tesco - easy to make yourself but it is really nice from the jar too. That and falafels are about my only shop bought recommendations.

Oh and if you look at the packet the main non-vegan ingredients (such as egg, milk and dairy) are in bold for the sake of allergy sufferers so it is quite quick and easy to see what it ok and what is not.

[FeelingSmurfy]

Veggie chilli would be good, just various beans and vegetables. Could have it with rice, chips or baked potatoes

[FeelingSmurfy]

Check bread, some has milk in (most doesn't)

Houmous & salad sandwiches or wraps, jam sandwiches, banana sandwiches

[teentraumas]

Wow, thanks for all the advice! Some great stuff there. I had already though risotto, jacket pots etc.
Can I just ask about a cheese substitute? Preferably that melts! I looked yesterday and couldn't find any. There are some suggestions online, but I an wondering the best supermarket for that! They didn't have anything in asda, but can easily get to a waitrose or sainsburys. It was only asda that was open after 9pm last night when she arrived! I did take her with me but she struggled a bit because she normally scans with an app, but it doesn't work over here

[FeelingSmurfy]

I would say don't bother, not had any that's any good

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

Holland and Barrett sell Violife cheese, so do some Tescos. It is reasonably inoffensive and sort of melts.

The co-op is pretty good at labelling what is vegan. If you don't mind saying where you are, perhaps someone local could suggest some vegan friendly stores/eateries?

[Hallamoo]

Yeah, I've yet to find a decent vegan cheese, I'd rather go without. There are some on line recipes for a 'goats cheese style' cheese using tofu, garlic, nuts & oil that are quite easy to make if you have a blender.

[Hallamoo]

Yeah, I've yet to find a decent vegan cheese, I'd rather go without. There are some on line recipes for a 'goats cheese style' cheese using tofu, garlic, nuts & oil that are quite easy to make if you have a blender.

[teentraumas]

Ahh, thanks for the cheese tip, sounds like to substitutes aren't much cop. my nearest city is Bath if anyone is local and has some advice! Thanks

[potatoscowls]

Tesco is great for vegan food - frozen sausage rolls/nut cutlets etc; Linda McCartney sausages...
In their chilled free-from section they do a lovely selection of yoghurts and I'd second the Violife recommendation (Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, ASDA...)

Definitely get some Vitalite spread in and find out her preferences regarding plant-milk

Waitrose's tarka dhal curry is vegan, and they've got nice rices and samosas to have with it.

If you have a Holland and Barrett you can get easy vegan freezer food, try the chicken-style nuggets or the pies... mmmmm...

If it'd make your lives easier to go out for a meal one night as a treat, Zizzi pizza restaurants now offer vegan mozzarella.

Hope this helps!

[LovelyFriend]

Prince was a vegan

[DeliveredByKiki]

seconding don't bother with vegan cheese - I live in a vegan capital and still can't stand any of the ones I've tried!

hint though for risotto, it's really easy to make vegan parmesan to put in it, blend brazil and walnuts to a fine consistency and then blend in nutritional yeast for cheesy taste (H&B is good)

If you want to cook, highly recommend oh she glows for easy to follow recipes, also HFW veg book, most are vegan or can be veganised

Otherwise just things like stir fry with meat on your portion, same with curries. bean chilli is lush (particularly if you add vegan chocolate and wine)

and yes, take her shopping with you - I don't expect others to bow to my dietary whims, although they're often kind enough to, and if I was staying in someone's home I even more wouldn't want to put them out

[wearesavoury]

ive got some amazing vegan recipes that vegans and non vegans love

[daisydukes34]

Things to stock up on

Potatoes
Rice
Bananas
Oats
Beans
Chickpeas