January can be a challenging time for us all for many different reasons: we can all identify with a feeling of dread as January the 1^st begins, and the magic of Christmas becomes a distant memory. Suddenly food has calories again, your bank account is barren, you’re back at work, and, on top of all this, we face the internal pressure to follow the “new year, new me” mantra and become a perfect version of ourselves. Despite my scepticism of this enforced optimism, I do understand the appeal of starting a new health regime at the start of the year. Wouldn’t it be pleasing if, at the beginning of 2024, we could, with complete assuredness, brag that we had been healthy for a whole year? Alas, I suspect that for 99% of us, making this not-very humble brag is a distant dream which disappears into a tub of Ben and Jerry’s after a week of ‘being good’. Like many people, if you feel the urge to begin a new project or change something in your life when January hits, I suggest trying Veganuary.

Veganuary, or the idea of eating plant-based food throughout the month of January, is a great idea for many reasons, namely that after the indulgences of Christmas and New Year, this lighter vegan food can be so refreshing and perfect for resetting your less-than-ideal diet. Veganuary can also help remove some of that Christmas weight and improve your health in several ways. A plant-based diet packed with a variety of fruits and vegetables has been linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Going vegan also has incredible environmental benefits as a plant-based diet helps reduce the impact of food-related climate change contributors, including water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions which come from the production of animal products and processed foods. These gains are undoubtedly impressive and help to demonstrate the broad appeal of veganism but however tempted you are by these benefits, making the transition to veganism and upheaving your whole diet and lifestyle is daunting and potentially overwhelming. To help you kick start your vegan journey this January, in this article, I will be sharing a whole day’s worth of vegan recipes to demonstrate how tasty and varied vegan eating can be.

For breakfast, I suggest that you start your day with overnight oats from Olive Magazine. This recipe asks you to prep your oats the night before, which means the oats will be ready to eat in the morning without any additional work. This recipe is a great idea, particularly if you struggle to remain disciplined in the mornings, as the simplicity of this breakfast is hard to resist and means that you are guaranteed to start your vegan endeavours off well.

Healthy overnight oats

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 60g rolled oats
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 300ml almond milk
• a couple of drops of vanilla extract
• a small pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 ripe plums, stoned and chopped into chunky cubes
• 1 heaped tbsp whole almonds, roughly chopped
• a drizzle to serve honey or agave

Method:

1. The night before you want to serve, mix the oats, chia seeds, almond milk, vanilla extract, and nutmeg. Stir through 2 of the cubed plums, then cover and leave in the fridge overnight.
2. The next morning, give the oats a good stir – they should be creamy and soft. Divide between 2 bowls and top with the remaining plum, some almonds and honey or agave to sweeten.

For lunch, this Good Food recipe for satay noodle soup will be filling, tasty, and warming, reminding you why you embarked on this journey in the first place and encouraging you to continue with it in good faith. I’m sure your meat-eating friends will be jealous of this delicious soup, packed with flavour and full of wonderfully vibrant vegetables.

Satay noodle soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp soy sauce, plus extra to serve
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 small lime, zested and juiced
• 1 tbsp sesame oil, plus extra to serve
• 2 spring onions, sliced diagonally
• 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 25g creamed coconut
• 1 nest dried rice noodles
• 1 large carrot, cut into long ribbons with a vegetable peeler

Method:

1. Mix the soy, peanut butter, lime zest and juice, then set aside. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat; add ½ the spring onions, ½ the chilli, the garlic, and a pinch of salt, and cook for 3 mins.
2. Pour in 450ml water, bring to a boil, then crumble in the coconut. Stir to dissolve, then spoon in the peanut butter mixture. Mix well, drop in the noodles and ½ the carrot ribbons, and cook for 5 mins.
3. Season to taste, spoon into a bowl and top with the remaining spring onion, chilli, and carrot ribbons. Drizzle over extra sesame oil or soy.

Finally, to conclude your day of veganism, try this recipe for a spicy miso portobello mushroom burger from the Feasting at Home website. This burger looks totally delicious with a beautiful Unami-flavoured mushroom lathered in Asian-style guacamole, topped with a cucumber ribbon salad, a crunchy carrot slaw, and a grilled whole wheat bread bun.

Spicy miso portobello mushroom burger

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 large portobello mushrooms
• 1 Tablespoon Miso
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• pinch of salt and pepper

Cucumber Ribbon Salad

• 2 turkish cucumbers, cut lengthwise into ribbons
• 1 spring onion, sliced diagonally
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Carrot Slaw

• 1 1/2 cups matchstick carrots (or grated)
• 1 spring onion
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Asian Guacamole

• 1 extra large avocado, cubed
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper
• pinch chilli flakes and sesame seeds
• 2 whole wheat buns, grilled

Method:

1. Preheat the grill. Mix the miso, sriracha, sesame oil and a pinch of salt and pepper together in a small bowl to make a paste. Brush liberally onto both sides of the portobello mushrooms.
2. Using a peeler or mandolin, cut the cucumber into long thin ribbons. Place them in a medium bowl along with spring onions, add the dressing ingredients and gently toss.
3. Make the carrot slaw the same way. Place in a small bowl and toss with dressing ingredients.
4. Make the Asian Guacamole by placing everything in a small bowl, mashing and stirring until creamy and combined. It doesn’t have to be smooth. Sprinkle with sesame and chilli flakes.
5. Grill the portobellos, top sides down first, for 4-5 minutes over medium heat until juicy and tender. Flip and grill for a few more minutes. Grill the Buns.
6. Assemble the burgers: spread buns with the Guacamole, add the mushrooms on top, then mound with cucumber ribbon, carrot salad, and a little squeeze of sriracha.

Featured Image: Ella Olsson on Pexels with Licence.