How to add the «fun» ingredient in a plant-based diet?

Let's face it: your non-vegetarian friends are polite to agree to come and eat at your place if your recipe repertoire is limited to tofu marinated in soy sauce.

If you want their satisfaction after dinner at your place to be linked to something other than your excellent sense of humour, you've come to the right place.

In this 4th and final article of this serie, we reveal our tips for making your plant-based recipes more funky.

1- Prepared options:

If tempeh tasted as good as traditional meat when cooked, you wouldn't be reading this. A quick and convenient solution to this challenge is to opt for the ready-made offerings in the plant-based foods aisle. Here are our favourite (and local) options:

• Loounie's Magic Tofu: available in traditional or spicy versions, this chunked tofu tastes similar to chicken and can be served reheated or directly in a salad.
  
  
• Gusta: Gusta's options are numerous. From fauxmance to seitan, sausage, and burger, Gusta stands out for its intense flavors. We cook, and that's it!
  
  
• TofuTofu: you can't miss the smoked tofus of this young Quebec brand. Once the package is opened, it's hard not to finish it as a snack. Favourites for the "Rôtisserie" and the unique "Cornichon" edition!
  
  
• Jean-Philippe's cuisine: A pioneer of vegan recipes in Quebec, JP offers a range of prepared products, such as his chicken seitan, sandwich meats, and frozen meals. Easy peasy!

2- Make Tofu Sexier:

Transform your boring block of bland whiteness into a succulent feast by cutting it into pieces by hand and then covering it with cornstarch and spices before cooking. Serve it with the sauces described in point #3 for an irresistible result!

3- The secret is in the sauce:

We warn you that you won't be able to return after tasting these sauces.

• Dragon: to transform bowls of abundance into Sunday feasts.
  
• Creamy Cashew Alfredo: for a pasta dish that comforts even the most gourmands.
  
• Peanut: to be transported to an exotic continent.
  
• Tahini: Put on absolutely everything, even your toast with peanut butter.
  
• Queso: to accompany your favourite team's victories.
  
• Green Goddess: to make your salads even greener (and delicious).

4- Blow your uncle's mind:

Plant-based recipes often need to improve textural contrasts. The following strategies will impress your most reluctant tasters:

• "Crispness": To make your salads sexier, add pumpkin seeds, All-Bran Buds cereal (yes!), or puffed rice.
• Consistency: Add lentils, textured vegetable protein or chopped walnuts to your sauces to diversify the textures.
• Freshness: Add marinated vegetables (e.g. onions, pickles, turnips) to your bowls or sandwiches for a touch of acidity and a more complex balance of flavours.

In short, a plant-based diet is satisfying once we step out of our comfort zone. You only have to be a little more creative!

Click here to read the first article on veganism 101.
Click here to read the second article on veganism and fitness.
Click here to read the third article on supplements. 


By Nicolas Leduc-Savard, Dt.P., M.Sc., Dietitian – Sports nutritionist