One thing I often hear when I discuss veganism is ‘but it’s a lot of cooking, isn't it?’. I'm not sure why this always takes me by surprise – perhaps it’s because people are more likely to question vegans’ lack of nutrition, or proclaim that cows wouldn’t exist if we didn’t eat them (try not to roll your eyes…).
Of course, plant-based eating can involve a lot of cooking, especially if you’re making everything from scratch, but this is something many of us enjoy about the lifestyle, right? Cooking should be fun and therapeutic, but if you’re time poor it can be a barrier to getting creative with mushrooms, tofu or seitan as opposed to throwing meat and veg into the oven.
We always aim to keep our recipes as easy as possible (our one pots on p12 will certainly save on washing up!), and I think it’s important to remind ourselves that carving out time to eat well is important in this busy world. And with ultra-processed foods still a big talking point (read more on p60), there’s never been a better time to encourage others to discover the enjoyment of cooking in a nutritious and compassionate way. Enjoy the issue…
Holly and the Vegan Food & Living Team