Veganuary, Dry January and the January Blues
It has been such a funny start to a year and really very busy with one thing and another. Christmas feels like it was such a long time ago and the weeks have just zoomed by. I also sit here knowing it has been over a month since my last post.
This year started very differently and Groundhog Day is setting in. Not sharing Christmas with loved ones, the start of the year beginning the way the last one finished with no end in sight, no holidays or plans to look forward to; coupled with not going out, missing family and friends means it has been the gloomiest I have felt in a while. Ordinarily you start the New Year with hope and excitement for the year ahead, a resolution or two you will start and possibly not see through and a holiday that is now on the horizon.
This year I don’t even know anybody who is taking part in dry January or veganuary, including us. As I said in my last blog post, be kind to yourself, don’t set yourself up to fail and feel bad when you don’t need to. Life feels hard enough without adding more rules and stress. Try to get out each day for walk or some exercise, the fresh air and change of scenery I have found so beneficial.
We decided that instead of giving up anything we will just reduce the amount of alcohol and animal products in our diet. We thought 1 vegan and 1 vegetarian main meal each week and at least 3 lunches that are also vegetarian would be good. No real rules just an aim.
Kelly’s super noodles
Nasi Goreng
Singapore noodles
Asian flavours are very good for meat/dairy free meals (just replace any fish sauce with vegan fish sauce and any honey with a honey alternative) and they are also usually quick to cook which is perfect for midweek meals. Some of my favourite recipes are: super noodles, Nasi Goreng, Thai inspired curry and Singapore noodles without the meat.
Tikka Masala
We were recipe testing and cooking lots throughout January. We made a fabulous saag aloo and a tikka masala and we tested the tikka masala with Clare and Grace - both were really very good and easy to cook. If you make them, I hope you like them as much as we all did.
Sag aloo
Our master stock is also developing well and we made the tastiest, most gorgeous poached chicken ever. It is healthy and just so full of flavour. I love the fact we can pull it out of the freezer, bring it to the boil and use it and you get the most flavourful meat ever. If you then mix a little of the stock with a little sugar and aromatics and reduce then you get a wonderful sauce.
A conversation with Stuart has also lead me to put up easy to cook basmati rice ‘recipe’. No, method? Anyway, you just boil a pot of water, add the rice. Cook for 10-12 minutes until just cooked. Drain and put a tea towel over the pot. Leave for 3 mins, take a fork and fluff up. Simple and I have found it works every time. The same timings and method also works with Jasmin rice.
Watch out for pilau rice which should be coming soon Stuart :-)