VEGAN INGREDIENTS. If you want to make a vegan meal, you don’t need to buy any special vegan product. It is only necessary to use wholesome food. Here we explain what kin...

Plant-based
basic groceries
April 21, 2024
BiteWithZest
With a plant-based diet, it is recommended to eat as little processed food as possible and to consume as much as possible natural food and fresh and organic vegetables and fruits

Basic groceries
Fruits and vegetables
By consuming fruits and vegetables (es
lehumes
Lentils, beans, c
Nuts
Seeds
Quinoa
Unprocessed cereals
It is recommended to eat cereals every day. Unprocessed cereals contain more vitamins, minerals and fibre than their refined versions. You can use brown rice, buckwheat, amaranth, barley, oats, corn, use wholemeal pasta, corn pasta or rice pasta. For creamy soups you may oats flour instead of white flour.
Seitan
Seitan is a product made of wheat and has a very similar consistency to meat when cooked, so it is also called wheat meat or wheat gluten. Seitan is an excellent source of iron proteins and minerals. It usually needs to be seasoned and marinated before use in dishes.
Tofu and tempeh
Tofu is soy cheese, which is formed in the process of coagulating protein from soy. It has a neutral taste, so it can be seasoned or marinated and prepared in different ways, if desired. Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans which are then compressed into solid blocks which gives it a special texture. Both are good sources of plant proteins.
Soya chunks
Soya chunks are the most common substitute for vegetable meat in the kitchen. Not only are they very similar in appearance to meat, but they are also much more nutritious than meat. Per 100 g of weight, they contain 50 g of protein, a lot of fibre and almost no fat. Before cooking, they need to be soaked in hot water for at least 10 minutes.
Sesame paste or tahini
Sesame paste is excellent for the preparation of spreads, sauces or as an addition to dishes. From a nutritional point of view, tahini has B vitamins and is rich in unsaturated fats. Tahini is relatively high in calcium and protein and is an excellent source of copper, zinc, iron, manganese, amino acids, and omega 3 and omega 6 oils.
Oils
Raspberry, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, coconut oil… Different oils have their own characteristics and each of them has its positive sides. Choose oils and spreads that are minimally processed and keep them away from sunlight. They should be in a dark bottle.
Sugar substitutes
We all know about the harmfulness of sugar. This substance has no vitamins or minerals, but only the intoxicating taste of sweet, which creates a false feeling of satiety. Some natural sugar substitutes: jaggery, stevia, agave syrup, maple syrup, coconut sugar, apple jam.
Yogurts, vegetable sour cream and herbal drinks
Nowadays, we are witnessing a growing trend of plant based yogurts as well as sour cream and sour cream for cooking. Most of them are made from rice, soy, coconut or oats. Also, in almost every grocery store you can find a wide range of “like milk” drinks made of almond, rice, soy, oats, coconut, hazelnut etc…
Nutritional yeast
Nutritional yeast flakes, also known as Savoury Yeast Flakes, is a deactivated yeast. It gives the food a great taste reminiscent of cheese. You can add it to salads, soups or cream sauces. Nutritional yeast is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and high-quality protein. It is a good source of vitamin B group.
Spices
A spice could be a seed, fruit, root, bark or other plant substance primarily used for Flavoring or coloring food. If you buy spice mixes, make sure to check if they contain milk or eggs. Otherwise, there is a plenty of room for exploring spices and their combinations.
Jelly
On plant-based diet gelatin is not an option, because it is a protein obtained by boiling skin, ligaments and bones with water. You may use pectin-based herbal jelly or products with agar agar. Agar-agar contains few calories and is low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
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