e ve r y o n e ’s

e
going
Dairy - f re

The handy guide for dairy-free

living, including delicious
recipes and shopping tips
 Contents
About Viva! .................................................................................. 4
About Viva!Health ........................................................................ 5
Welcome ...................................................................................... 5
It’s natural to be dairy-free ............................................................ 6

*GCXGPN[
Dairy-free is good for you ............................................................ 6
My calcium-rich foods .................................................................. 8
It’s getting easier and easier .......................................................... 10
It’s kinder to animals .................................................................... 10
Useful resources ............................................................................ 11
Supermarket lists .......................................................................... 12
Dairy-free or allergen-free ............................................................ 13
It’s better for the environment ...................................................... 14
Where to shop .............................................................................. 15
Viva!’s top dairy-free secrets .......................................................... 17
Other dairy-free delights .............................................................. 26
Dairy-free guide recipes ................................................................ 35
Eat out dairy-free .......................................................................... 92

3
About Viva! About Viva!Health
Viva! campaigns for a vegan world. Most farmed animals spend their Viva!Health is a section of Viva! that researches and campaigns on
short and miserable lives in the filth of factory farms and are killed healthy vegan diets. It has a really helpful website vivahealth.org.uk
with sickening barbarity – we expose this abuse through which includes the A-Z of Nutrients and A-Z of Diseases. If you want
investigations and publicise it with nationwide campaigns that bring to know more about how much protein or iron you need, what's a
about change. Billions of animals are also killed at sea, causing 'good' or 'bad' fat, where to get health-protecting vitamins or which
immense suffering and contributing to the ecological collapse of our diseases are linked to diet and why – it’s all here.
oceans. We address these issues too.

Viva!shop
Our major campaign on dairy – Scary Dairy – relies on years of
research on the impact of dairy farming, on animal welfare and our
health. The campaign includes investigations which expose the Viva!Shop offers a superb range of high-quality merchandise and
conditions modern dairy cows have to endure and reveals the books by mail order. Goodies on offer include dairy-free chocolates,
shocking fate of their calves. Our fully-referenced, vegan wines, cruelty-free gifts, clothing and vegan recipe books
scientific report, White Lies, looks at the vivashop.org.uk.
impact of dairy consumption on
our health and shows how dairy
is linked to many degenerative
diseases. Scary Dairy also has
fantastic info on going dairy-free.
See scarydairy.org.uk.

Welcome
Viva! publishes the highly acclaimed
Viva!life magazine and runs the online
Vegan Recipe Club, which has hundreds
of recipes illustrated in full colour. Packed So you’re thinking about going dairy-free. Well done! Not only will
with chef’s tips, hints and advice, you can the decision make you feel better, look better and reduce your
even search for recipes based solely on your chances of developing several major diseases, it will also help to save
favourite ingredients: animals from suffering and dramatically reduce your impact on the
veganrecipeclub.org.uk. Viva! provides all environment.
the information and support necessary to This booklet will guide you along the path to a dairy-free diet.
help people change their diet: We’ve mostly listed dairy replacements here, but there are a vast
viva.org.uk/easyvegan. range of other products available for vegans.

4 5
1 It’s natural to be dairy-free! (brittle bones) in the world! (See our guide, Building Bones for Life at
vivahealth.org.uk).
Most people in the world avoid milk and dairy products because they Ironically, in other parts of the world where people eat little or no
are lactose intolerant – they are unable to digest the sugar in milk dairy and obtain their calcium from plant sources, levels of
(lactose). This is the percentage of people who are lactose intolerant osteoporosis are low. And there are plenty of healthier plant sources
in each ethnic group: of calcium (see page 8): green leafy vegetables, sesame and other
seeds, nuts, many fruits and the whole range of pulses (such as soya,
peas, beans and lentils) and the products made from them (tahini,

95% 75% 50% 10%

hummus, tofu and the like). There is a long, long list and the calcium
obtained from them is easy for our bodies to absorb and store.
Dairy is also strongly associated with diseases such as breast and
prostate cancers, diabetes, eczema and heart disease amongst others.
Asian people Afro-Caribbean Mediterranean Northern For more information, see our Why You Don’t Need Dairy guide and
people people European people
our referenced White Lies report, both at scarydairy.org.uk.
(Source: NHS Direct)

All babies produce an enzyme called lactase, which is needed to

digest lactose (milk sugar) but most lose it after weaning, at around
the age of two. Without lactase, lactose ferments in the large
intestine and produces gas. The result can be nausea, cramps,
bloating, wind and diarrhoea, which usually appear a couple of hours
after eating. The treatment is… avoid lactose by cutting out all dairy
foods. You’ll need to check labels on bread, chocolate and other
processed foods where dairy products may be used.
There are around 5,000 species of mammal and none consume
dairy after weaning – apart from humans. We are also the only
mammal to consume the milk of a different species. Imagine a
squirrel raiding a sheep or goat’s udder, or a bear cub feeding from an
elephant – that gives you some idea of just how unnatural it is!

2 Dairy-free is good for you

Despite industry hype that we need dairy for its calcium to build
strong bones, the evidence points in the other direction. Westerners
consume the most dairy yet have the highest levels of osteoporosis

6 7
My calcium-rich foods Top tip! How much
Vitamin D is made by sunlight on the should I eat a
skin and is needed for calcium absorption. If you live day? 700mg
in the UK, take a vitamin D supplement over winter.

Almonds Apricots (dried) Artichokes fennel Figs (dried) Kale

asparagus Baked beans (haricot) Blackberries Kidney beans Oranges rocket

Sesame seeds
(eg in Tahini and Hummus)
Blackcurrants Blackstrap molasses bok choy (and other seeds) Soya milk (fortified) Spring greens

Brazil nuts Bread (wholemeal) Broccoli Swede Tofu (calcium-set) Walnuts

For a laminated, A4 poster of this chart for

your kitchen, visit
Chickpeas Cinnamon Edamame (soya beans) watercress vivashop.org.uk/calcium-poster

8 9
3 It’s getting easier and easier
More and more people are choosing to go dairy-free. Now is the
perfect time to join them!
Useful resources
The free-from market includes dairy-free products and is one of the you go and stay vegan including
largest growth-sectors in the food industry. Every supermarket has VEGAN RECIPE CLUB health, nutrition, recipes,
free-from shelves. veganrecipeclub.org.uk Viva!’s product listings, blogs, festivals,
Soya milk is now widely available from chain coffee stores. dedicated food website contains FAQ’s and much more.
There is a wide variety of dairy-free alternatives to cheese, milk, hundreds of tried and tested
yoghurt and other dairy products. recipes that are all dairy-free and 30 DAY VEGAN
Most chain restaurants and other eateries carry a free- vegan delicious – as well as recipes viva.org.uk/30dayvegan A Viva!
from/allergen, vegetarian and vegan list of dishes and must state from top vegan restaurants/chefs, initiative that sends you daily
which of their other dishes are suitable for such groups. informative articles and much email bulletins containing
more. Try our new app: recipes, including a Can’t Cook

4 It’s kinder to animals veganrecipeclub.org.uk/app Won’t Cook version – all

deliciously dairy-free and vegan –
The modern dairy industry is far from the buttercup-strewn meadow WHY YOU DON’T NEED DAIRY health tips, celebrity quotes,
of advertising myth and is actually very brutal. scarydairy.org.uk/WYDND Viva!’s shopping ideas and lots more!
To produce milk, cows must repeatedly be made pregnant. Their new health guide draws on
babies are always taken away from them and if male, are killed reputable science to overturn the MY VEGAN TOWN
shortly after birth or reared for veal or beef. Females are usually kept myths about dairy products. myvegantown.org.uk Find vegan
in solitary confinement for eight weeks before being used to replenish friendly places near you to eat,
the herd. SCARY DAIRY places to stay, vegan event
Dairy cows are killed between five to six years old, the human scarydairy.org.uk Deals with all listings, reviews and lots more.
equivalent of a twenty year old, because they are exhausted, infertile, things dairy-free, from animal
diseased or their milk production has reduced. welfare concerns to health, VIVA!’S TOP DAIRY-FREE
Unbelievably, every year some tens of thousands of UK dairy cows recipes and much more. It also PRODUCTS
are pregnant when they’re killed, many in the final trimester of their features downloadable versions scarydairy.org.uk/how Viva!’s top
nine-month pregnancy. or links to all our dairy-free dairy-free products from milk to
Goats also have to be made pregnant if they’re to be milked. All related guides, recipes, cheese to desserts and many more.
kids are taken from their mothers immediately – the males killed for information and campaigns.
meat, often by religious slaughter methods. MY VEGAN SUPERMARKET
A sheep’s male babies are killed whilst still lambs and the females GOING VEGAN WITH VIVA! myvegansupermarket.co.uk The
are mostly kept for breeding – slaughtered when they are too weak viva.org.uk/going-vegan All the biggest database of vegan
to bear more lambs or milk. information you need to help products sold in UK supermarkets.

10 11
VEGAN FOOD & LIVING PLANT BASED NEWS
veganfoodandliving.com One of
the leading vegan magazines
covering food, lifestyle, ethics
plantbasednews.org Keep up to
date with all the latest news on
the vegan scene including
Dairy-free or allergen-free
and more. Their website has a health, nutrition, products, If an item supposedly contains no dairy ingredients but the packaging
host of reviews, articles, ethics, campaigns, lifestyle, states ‘may contain traces of milk’, it means the item is most likely
products and information. events, celebrities and more. dairy-free and vegan. However, it won’t necessarily be suitable for
those with an allergy to dairy.
Companies who make a variety of foods have to clean production

Supermarket lists
line machinery between different batches that may contain nuts,
soya, dairy, eggs and so on. A chocolate manufacturer may make a
batch of milk chocolate, clean the line and then make a batch of dark
chocolate that is dairy-free/vegan!
l ALDI: Go to aldi.co.uk and type ‘vegan’ in the search bar. This Although production lines are scrupulously cleaned, there is always
provides a comprehensive guide plus product list. the risk of microscopic food traces being left behind and companies
l ASDA: Most own-brand products are now labelled, but type have a legal obligation to warn allergy sufferers about possible cross
‘vegan’ into the search bar on asda.com for a comprehensive list. contamination. From an ethical or health point of view, most vegan
l COOP: All Co-op vegan products are now clearly labelled on the groups agree that this is an acceptable compromise and it widens
packaging. the range of dairy-free/vegan products available – unless, of
l ICELAND: Go to groceries.iceland.co.uk and type ‘vegan’ in the course, you are highly allergic to dairy. When in doubt, check
search bar. This provides a comprehensive product list. with the manufacturer.
l M&S: All own-brand products now have the vegan label but go to
marksandspencer.com/s/food-to-order/health/vegan-planted-
based for the full list of vegan products.
l MORRISONS: Go to groceries.morrisons.com and type ‘vegan’ into
the search bar for the full range of products.
l OCADO: Go to ocado.com, type ‘vegan’ into the search bar and
all products will be listed.
l SAINSBURY’S: Go to recipes.sainsburys.co.uk/articles/nutrition/
product-guidance-lists for the full list of vegan products. Sainsbury’s
also now uses the vegan label for their own-brand products.
l WAITROSE: Go to waitrose.com, type in ‘vegan’ and all the
products will be listed including a guide. Link to the full list via this
page: waitrose.com/home/inspiration/healthy-eating-
andweightloss/special_diets/how_waitrose_can_help.html

12 13
5 It’s better for the environment
The United Nations estimates that livestock for meat and dairy create
14.5 per cent of all greenhouse gases – that’s more than all
Where to shop
transportation put together, including air transport! Their digestion Unless an item is marked clearly as dairy-free or vegan, always read the
process produces huge amounts of methane, while their manure label. When in doubt, ask an assistant or ask to see the shop’s vegan list.
produces nitrous oxide – both powerful greenhouse gases. Livestock
are the main cause of deforestation too, as trees are felled to provide Supermarkets Online stores
grazing or to grow fodder crops. They are also the main cause of All major supermarkets sell an Those listed below sell a wealth
species (biodiversity) loss. Almost every environmental problem has ever-increasing range of dairy- of vegan/dairy-free products and
livestock farming at its heart. Farmed animals are extraordinarily free and vegan products and of course, they deliver! They
wasteful as most of what they eat does not produce meat but simply many have their own free-from often carry a bigger and better
keeps them alive and functioning. Around a third of all crops grown and vegan lists for own-brand range than can be found in high
are used as animal feed. It can take as much as 20kg of grain to products – see page 12. street outlets. A web search will
produce just 1kg of beef. Starvation across the world is intimately help you find more stores.
linked to livestock farming. Going vegan could halve your greenhouse Holland & Barrett They sell a
gas emissions and free up precious resources for a fairer world. large range of dairy-free/vegan Viva! Shop vivashop.org.uk your
products. There are now vegan- first stop for vegan confectionery
only branches too. and gifts.

Independent health food Alternative Stores

shops They usually supply a alternativestores.com all
really good range of products, vegan/dairy-free.
including more unusual brands
and items. Staff are more likely Amazon UK amazon.co.uk click
to be well informed and on ‘grocery’ then enter ‘vegan’
products ethically sourced. in search box.

Ethnic food stores Chinese, Ananda anandafoods.co.uk sells

Thai, Korean, Japanese etc dairy-free Parmesan and hard to
usually carry a wonderful stock find vegan foods.
of dairy-free products – tofu,
mock meats, spices and cooking
sauces in particular are often
excellent quality and value.

14 15
 Viva!’s top dairy-free secrets
Ethica Vegan Store Ocado ocado.com – an online
ethicaveganstore.co.uk supermarket. Type ‘vegan’ in
groceries, confectionary, food, ‘find a product’.
health & fitness, bodycare.
The Vegan Kind 1 Nutritional yeast flakes
Goodness goodnessdirect.co.uk shop.thevegankind.com food, What is it? Sprinkles of naturally brewed yeast
search ‘vegan’ for pages of food drink, household, beauty, gifts, flakes in a tub (not to be confused with brewer’s
products. They also have a handy pet section, fashion, books. yeast!). It’s full of protein, B vitamins and other
dietary key – dairy-free, vegan, useful nutrients – the blue tub in particular.
gluten-free, organic etc. V-Bites vbites.com mock meats, What does it taste like? Slightly cheezy,
fish, cheese etc – all vegan/dairy- nutty, savoury. It dissolves into hot dishes
Greenbay free. really well or can be sprinkled on pasta,
greenbaysupermarket.co.uk food asparagus or soups for added taste.
(fresh and dry), drinks, household, Vegan Co vegan.co.uk food, pet
health & beauty, pet section. food, clothing, household and What is it used for?
more – all vegan and dairy-free. l Pasta dishes and pasta sauces
l Sprinkle on soups of most types
Vegan Store veganstore.co.uk l Bread – can be mixed with vegan spread to make garlic bread
clothing, footwear, food, l Tofu scramble
cosmetics and toiletries – all l As a condiment or to make dairy-free cheezy sauces – see page 67
vegan/dairy-free.
What brands should I look for? Engevita (Marigold).
Vegusto vegusto.co.uk mock Where can I buy it? Health food shops or online. Not yet in
meats, cheeses, groceries, all supermarkets, other than online at Ocado, but we live in hope.
vegan/dairy-free. Can I make my own? No: it’s a natural product but uses lots of beets
and a fermentation process that would be difficult/impossible to
recreate in a home kitchen.

2 Silken tofu
What is it? A type of tofu (beancurd). All tofu
is made from soya beans into a kind of cheese
and is widely used throughout the Far East.
There are lots of different types. Silken tofu is a
softer, creamier variety – too squidgy for stir-
fries but a very useful and versatile ingredient!

16 17
What does it taste like? It’s bland but absorbs flavours very well. l Creamy pasta sauce. Mash or roughly chop avocado into cooked
Creamy when whizzed up – but low fat and high in protein and calcium. garlic and mushrooms then mix into spaghetti or linguini. Add lots
of black pepper and a little salt
What is it used for? l Search for ‘avocado’ on veganrecipeclub.org.uk for the pasta
l Sour cream alternative – see page 39 recipe and a host of others
l Dairy/egg-free quiches
l Desserts such as cheesecake and chocolate mousse What brands should I look for? There are different types of
l Search ‘silken tofu’ in veganrecipeclub.org.uk for a host of recipes avocado, eg Hass – small with lumpy dark green skins. Other types
are larger and have smoother, paler green skins.
What brands should I look for? Where can I buy it? Ready-to-eat packs in supermarkets tend to be the
l Longlife silken varieties (mostly 350g): Morinaga, Morinu, Blue most reliable, but good greengrocers/vegetable shops may have ripened
Dragon, Clearspring avocados going cheap. Make sure they are pretty soft and squidgy to
l Fresh silken: Taifun, Unicurd and generic silken tofu is sold in most the touch. If hard and unripe, you can keep them until they ripen.
Oriental stores Can I grow my own? Sadly, avocados don’t grow in the UK.

Where can I buy it? Large supermarkets, health food shops, Oriental 4 Puréed white beans
food stores. What is it? A creamy mixture made
Can I make my own? Yes – it’s not difficult! from white beans whizzed up –
See ‘Homemade Tofu’ at veganrecipeclub.org.uk cannellini beans are best but
haricot and butter beans will
For further info on all types of tofu, see page 33. also work.
What does it taste like? It’s all
3 Avocado in the flavouring – adding fresh
What is it? It’s a fruit (not a vegetable) high in protein and healthy herbs, roast or fresh garlic, olive oil,
fats, amongst other things. black pepper and salt will transform these beans into a creamy
What does it taste like? Subtle – not sweet but creamy. delight.

What is it used for? What is it used for? Use to make recipes from
l Desserts. Yes, really. Avocado lends itself to veganrecipeclub.org.uk such as:
many dairy-free and vegan desserts l Cannellini Bean, Black Olive, Sun-dried Tomato & Basil Pâté
and is especially good with l Artichoke, Butterbean & Filo Pie with Olives and Sundried
chocolate, figs and pistachio nuts. Tomatoes
Search the web for ‘avocado vegan l Add a creamy but low-fat texture to soups, stews, sauces etc –
desserts’ and you’ll be amazed! just whizz up ¼-½ tin of white beans with a bit of the stock or
l Guacamole dip. See page 42 juice from the dish you’re making until smooth, then stir in

18 19
What brands should I look for? All white beans are sold in tins. What brands should I look for? Biona, Carley’s, Essential, Meridian,
Sainsbury’s Organic in cartons are a good deal. Monkey, Suma and Whole Earth are all good quality but there are lots
Where can I buy it? Large supermarkets and health food shops – out there.
tins/cartons of cooked beans and packets of dried beans. Where can I buy it? Supermarket brands are cheaper but tend to be
Can I make my own? Yes. Soak dried beans overnight. If you are peanut based, padded out with other oils and contain too much
sensitive to beans, soak them for several days until they are almost sugar or salt. Wholefood and health food shops tend to sell a larger
sprouting. Keep in a cool place and change the water twice daily. variety of quality nut/seed butters but are usually more expensive.
Rinse, drain and cook in fresh water – 40-60 minutes in an ordinary Can I make my own? Yes – it’s easy and tastes wonderful but you
pan or pressure cook at high for 15 minutes. Blend beans wholly or need a food processor with a good motor – Magimix or Vitamix. See
partially to make the dish of your choice. Beans also freeze well, in veganrecipeclub.org.uk Homemade Nut & Seed Butter.
bags or plastic containers.

5 Nut and seed butters

What is it? A rich butter/spread made
from one or more nuts or seeds –
cashew, almond, Brazil, tahini (sesame
seeds), sunflower, hemp, pumpkin – and
the ubiquitous peanut. Sometimes
ingredients are combined, such as
almond, hazel & Brazil.
What does it taste like? Like the nut
or seed it’s made from and depends on
whether they are raw or roasted.

What is it used for?

l Sauces such as tahini and miso, peanut satay, cheezy sauce.
Search ‘sauces’ on veganrecipeclub.org.uk
l Dips and spreads such as hummus (tahini – sesame paste)
l Adding to soups and stews for a rich, creamy texture and flavour
– a tablespoon of peanut butter works wonders in Martin Shaw’s
Chilli non Carne veganrecipeclub.org.uk. A tablespoon of cashew
or almond butter is delicious in tomato soup or sauce, to name
just a few
l As a spread on toast etc – particularly nice with yeast extract
(eg Marmite) or jam!

20 21
6 Cheezy Sauce Mix What brands should I look for? Alpro/Provamel, Sojatoo, Oatly,
What is it? Dairy-free cheese sauce mix Whiptop.
in a tub – almost instant! Add it to plant Where can I buy it? It depends on the brand and type of cream. All
milks such as soya, heat up and it’s done. large supermarkets sell at least one type, eg soya (Alpro/Provamel) or
What does it taste like? Pretty good! oat (Oatly). For a wider range, try health food shops and online stores
It’s even better with a handful or two of such as vivashop.org.uk.
nutritional yeast flakes and a teaspoon or Can I make my own? Cashew cream is very easy to make and is
two of Dijon mustard thrown in. healthy, natural and delicious – use in savoury as well as sweet dishes.
See page 44 for our recipe. You can also make a coconut cream/whip.
What is it used for? Any dish that needs a cheese sauce. See page 80.
l Macaroni cheese
l Savoury pancakes 8 AQUAFABA
l Aurora sauce – mix half cheezy sauce with half tomato pasta What is it? Tinned chickpea brine/goo (literally
sauce and add to tubular cooked pasta such as penne, rigatoni or ‘bean water’) – the stuff we usually throw
macaroni away. It’s actually more of an egg replacer but
is too good to miss!
What brands should I look for? Free & Easy Dairy-Free Cheese What does it taste like? It is tasteless when
Flavour Sauce Mix (black and yellow tub). mixed into other dishes.
Where can I buy it? Health food shops, Holland & Barrett, What is it used for? 3 tbsp = 1 hen’s egg. Its
Sainsbury’s and online stores. protein works like egg white so can be used to
Can I make my own? Yes! See page 67 for recipes. make meringues, cakes and much more.
What should I look for? Tinned chickpeas are best but aquafaba
7 Cream from tinned white beans (butter, cannellini, haricot) also works.
What is it? Dairy-free cream. Where can I buy it? Anywhere that sells tinned beans! Value
What does it taste like? It depends chickpeas work as well as organic and it doesn’t matter if they’re
on what it’s made from. Commercial salted or not. It will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge in an air-tight
dairy-free creams are made from soya, container. Use the leftover chickpeas/beans to add to a curry, stew,
oat, rice, coconut or nuts. make hummus or other dips…
Can I make my own? Possibly, in a pressure cooker, but the goo
What is it used for? might not be as thick and protein-rich.
l Add to a savoury, creamy dish such Recipes? Try ‘Justine’s Aquafaba Chocolate Mousse’, ‘Aquafaba
as mushroom stroganoff or soup Mayo’ and ‘Blueberry Lemon Drizzle’ on veganrecipeclub.org.uk
l Desserts – single or whipping, Also see our delicious meringue recipe on page 80. For more, go to
depending on the pudding Facebook page ‘Vegan Meringue – Hits and Misses!’ for hundreds of
tested recipes.
22
23
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in
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 l Koko Currently offering a couple of coconut-based cheeses in

Other dairy-free delights cheddar and a soft cheese. The cheddar melts and is said to be
one of the closest resemblances to dairy cheddar available. They
also sell a variety of yoghurts, ice creams, milks and spreads.
Butter and spread alternatives l MozzaRisella Melting mozzarella-style, made from rice milk –
Most margarines/spreads are plant-based but manufacturers often really good on pizza or with tomato salad. Now available in a
add dairy, such as whey or butterfat. There are plenty that are vegan: variety of flavours including blue, smoky, creamy and slices.
mozzarisella.co.uk.
l Aldi: Free-from spread l Naturli’: Free-from Spread – l Bute Island, Sheese Hard and soft cheeses available in a really
l Asda: Free-from spread palm oil free wide range. Over 10 flavours available in the hard cheeses
l Biona: Wide range l Nutcrafter: Butter alternative including cheddar, smoked, Edam, Wensleydale, Greek-style and
l Coconut oil: use instead of a l Pure: Soya, sunflower or olive many more. Also grated, cream cheese, slices and wedges
spread – widely available available. Bute Island makes the supermarket cheese own brands
l Co-op: Soft spread l Sainsbury’s: Free-from Spread for Asda, Sainsbury’s buteisland.com.
l Flora: Free-from spreads l Suma: Soya or Sunflower l Tofutti Creamy cheese in a variety of flavours including plain,
l Koko: Coconut-based spread l Tesco: Free-from Soya Spread herb & chives, garlic & herb. They also provide slices in a few
l M&S: Sunflower spreads, l Vitalite: Free-from spread different flavours. tofutti.com.
including a light version l Vitaquell: Organic soft spread l Vegusto No-Moo A wide range of hard cheeses, including
l Waitrose: Free-from spread aromatic, piquant (like Parmesan), blue, herb and more, made
from organic almonds and coconut oil. They also sell deli slices,
See Viva!’s top vegan spreads: scarydairy.org.uk/how/butter-patrons roasts and lots more.

Cheese alternatives
Dairy-free cheese has improved over the years, as has the range of
products and flavours available.
Does it melt? Yes and some dairy-free cheeses melt better than others.
What types are there? Hard or creamy – with assorted flavours.
See below.

l Cheezly (V-Bites brand). Hard cheese in more than 10 different

flavours including mozzarella, blue, cheddar and a rather good
parmesan-style called ‘Hard Italian-style’. Some flavours melt,
others don’t. Melting Cheezly, available in Mozzarella-style is good
for pizzas. There is also a soya-free variety – and a Christmas
selection pack. vbites.com/shop/dairy-free.

26 27
l Violife Really wide range of hard cheese, soft, grated and slices in See Viva!’s top vegan chocolate:
a range of flavours. Our particular favourites are the Prosociano scarydairy.org.uk/how/chocolate-devotees.
(hard Parmesan-style block) and the Mediterranean-style block Other brands: for some of the best vegan milk chocolate, check out
(Halloumi-style). Available in many outlets including supermarkets, vivashop.org.uk or try health food shops and online stores – see page
health food shops and online. violifefoods.com. 15. Our favourites include the divine Zotter Hazelnuss praline-style,
l Nutcrafter There is a growing hand-crafted cheese market which hazelnut-studded Vego and Ombar Coconut Mylk raw chocolate.
is fantastic. For a real treat, Nutcrafter offer cashew-based hard
and soft cheeses in really delicious flavours including aged blue, Plain/dark chocolate
extra aged Gosamio, the best Halloumi style amongst others. There is plenty of high quality dark chocolate out there. Most is dairy-
nutcrafter.co.uk. free but some have butterfat and other dairy bits so check the labels.
l Daiya A Canadian-based company which has now made its way to Again, supermarkets carry a pretty good range but there’s more
the UK. They offer a variety of cheeses which are renowned for their choice in independent shops and online. Good brands include:
meltability and are used in many of the US pizza restaurants. Available
in Wholefoods, some supermarkets and online. daiyafoods.com. l Aldi – Moser Roth Dark l Kinnerton
l Supermarkets Eg Asda and Sainsbury’s and Tesco have a good 70%, Dark 85% and Dark l Lidl Fair Trade plain chocolate
range of cheese which are all made by Bute Island. They come in a Orange & Almond l Montezuma
variety of flavours as well as in grated, slices and cream cheeses. l Booja Booja – the best l Seed & Bean
Other supermarkets are following suit so watch this space for more… truffles ever!

See Viva!’s top vegan cheeses: scarydairy.org.uk/how/cheese-lovers.

Chocolate
Dairy-free chocolate of all types is easy to find. Hooray! In
supermarkets, most dairy-free milk chocolate is on free-from shelves
but often, ordinary shelves contain products that are OK (eg Aldi mint
thins). Get reading those labels or check out the supermarket vegan
lists (see page 12.) Just remember to avoid things like butterfat, whey,
cream, milk powder and other dairy items.

Milk chocolate
Dairy-free milk chocolate is made from plant milks – soya, rice or
coconut.
Supermarkets: mainly found on the free-from shelves but also
other brands can be found too.

28 29
Cream Soya Milk
See page 22 for more details on soya cream. Here are some of the The most common brands are Alpro and Provamel which can be
most common brands: found everywhere. Every supermarket now sells
at least an own-brand long-life and many offer
l Provamel single cream l Isola Bio single coconut cream fresh versions too. This includes budget
l Alpro single cream l M&S coconut double cream supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl. Plamil is also
l Sojade single cream l Coconut milk/cream… (see widely available – this all-vegan company made
l Oatly single cream and page 80 for a recipe for the first soya milk in the UK and is the most
crème fraiche Coconut Cream Whip) ethically produced (Ethical Consumer magazine).
l Soyatoo Soy Whip and l Tesco sour cream
single cream l Asda sour cream Coconut Milk
This one is in a carton and made for pouring
See Viva!’s top vegan creams: scarydairy.org.uk/how/cream-allies unlike the stuff in tins! There are many brands,
including Kara, Koko and Plenish (if you like a
Custard Powder: bit of posh!). Many of the supermarkets are also now
Ready-made: l Bird’s offering their own in both longlife and fresh.
l Provamel l Just Natural
l Alpro l Orgran Rice Milk
l Oatly l Some supermarket own Low in fat and sweet in taste, rice milk is very popular, though not so
brands… check the label. great in tea and coffee as it’s quite watery. Rice Dream is the most
common brand, but there are quite a few others and even
See Viva!’s top vegan custards: scarydairy.org.uk/how/custard-fiends supermarkets are starting to produce their own. Ecomil and Almond
Breeze are also widely available.

Milk alternatives Oat Milk

There are far too many dairy-free milks to list – soya, almond, coconut, rice, Delicious, creamy and works well in tea and coffee! Oatly is the most
oat, hazelnut, hemp, cashew, quinoa – with plain, strawberry, chocolate, common brand and can even be found in some restaurants and
vanilla, banana flavours (with more coming out all the time!). You’ll find coffee shops. Check out their Barista version too!
them in long-life cartons or fresh in chill cabinets of supermarkets and all
health food shops. There are budget options available and the posh barista Nut Milks
varieties which are delicious (and a bit pricier!). Almond, cashew and hazelnut milks are all delicious and can be used
The taste varies – long-life is different from fresh; sweetened from in a variety of ways! Most supermarkets now have their own brand of
unsweetened. It’s worth experimenting. Many are fortified with vitamin almond milk including budget supermarkets such as Aldi.
B12 and calcium. Give it a couple of weeks and your tastes will change,
to a point where dairy milks can quickly smell and taste very strange! See Viva!’s top plant milks: scarydairy.org.uk/how/milk-alternatives

30 31
Soya milk in hot drinks Tofu types and how to
use them
Tea: soya milk works well unless it’s beginning to go off when it will
curdle like dairy milk.
Coffee: fresh soya milk and barista/pro versions don’t usually curdle What is it? Tofu, or beancurd, is a kind
but long-life may. If using long-life in fresh coffee, heat the milk of cheese made from soya beans. It’s
(don’t boil) then add to the cup before the coffee. For instant coffee, very high in protein, omega-3, iron
add soya milk and hot water first, allowing the water to cool a little and low in fat, making it a bit of a
first. Add the granules last and stir vigorously. wonderfood.
NB Coffee houses such as Costa and Starbucks often use Alpro Pro Different types:
soya milk, which never curdles and is delicious.
Plain
Yoghurt Cauldron, Dragonfly, The Tofoo
Co., Yutaka, Taifun and lots of
Plain and fruity varieties are available other brands are widely available,
in several brands: Alpro, Provamel, The with Cauldron most readily
Coconut Collaborative, COYO, Rebel available. Mainly used for stir
Kitchen, Nush and most supermarkets now fries because it holds its shape
offer their own. Our personal favourite is but can also be deep fried or
Sojade (health food shops, Ocado etc). oven-roasted.
Some of the natural yoghurts are sweetened
so make sure you go for an unsweetened Stir-fried tofu
version if making a savoury dish. Drain the plain tofu and dry
Plain yoghurt uses: Savoury dips such as with kitchen paper. Chop into
raita (see page 41), baking or use straight from the tub with curries or cubes or ‘steaks.’ In a frying pan
on cereal etc or as a direct substitute for dairy yoghurt. or wok, heat 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
Flavoured/fruity: enjoy as you would any other flavoured until very hot, add the tofu and fry for
yoghurt… there are some really delicious ones out there! several minutes until golden brown. Turn gently while cooking to
Homemade is pretty easy to make but you’ll need a small quantity avoid mashing. Remove from pan and drizzle a little soya sauce over
of live vegan yoghurt as a starter culture. Visit veganrecipeclub.org.uk the top.
and search ‘yoghurt’ for two recipes and other uses.
For Viva!’s top vegan yoghurts see: Options Crushed garlic, garlic paste, Chinese five spice powder or
scarydairy.org.uk/how/yoghurt-enthusiasts grated ginger (use your imagination) can be added a couple of minutes
before the end of cooking. Can be pre-cooked and chilled until needed
– 2-3 days in an airtight container lined with kitchen paper.

32 33
Smoked tofu
Taifun, The Tofoo Co.,
Clearspot, Dragonfly and
other brands vary in
Dairy-free guide recipes
texture and smokiness.
Available in most Sauces/Dips/Milks Cheeses
supermarkets, Ocado and Almond or Cashew Milk ...... 36 Easy Peasy Melting
health food shops. It can Tartar Sauce .......................... 38 Mozzarella ........................ 71
be cooked in the same Sour Cream .......................... 39 ‘Cheddar’ Cheese ................ 72
way as plain, sliced thinly Blue Cheese Dressing ............ 41
for sandwiches or fried up Guacamole .......................... 42 Divine Desserts
as rashers – again drizzled Raita .................................... 43 Crème Brûlée ...................... 75
with soya sauce. Salsa .................................... 43 Sticky Toffee Pudding ............ 76
Cashew Cream (sweet or Meringues with Coconut
savoury) ............................ 44 Cream Whip ...................... 80
Tahini Sauce/Dressing ............ 47 Vanilla Cupcakes .................. 84
Banana Bread with Cashew
Light Bites Cream Cheese Icing .......... 87
Marinated tofu Caesar Salad ........................ 48 White Chocolate &
Cauldron marinated, ready- Cauliflower Cheese .............. 51 Raspberry Cheesecake ...... 90
cooked pieces are available in Tomato, Feta & Thyme Tart .... 52
health food shops and large Loaded Nachos .................... 54
supermarkets. Simple to use,
they can be stirred into hot Mouthwatering Mains
dishes at the end of cooking, Ultimate Vegan Pizza ............ 56
particularly pastas, sauces, Creamy Mushroom
stews and stir fries or enjoy Tagliatelle .......................... 61
in a nice cold salad or sandwich. The Taifun marinated tofu range, Traditional Lasagne .............. 64
Clearspot and Dragonfly are also delicious! Mac ‘n’ Cheese .................... 67
Cheesy Broccoli & Tomato
Silken tofu Quiche .............................. 68
Silken tofu has many uses including sauces, baking, cheesecakes,
smoothies, vegan French toast (yes really!), as an egg substitute and
many more. See our recipe on page 39.
Recipes and photography: Maryanne Hall

34 35
Almond or Cashew Milk
Serves 4 | 5-10 minutes (plus 2 hours soaking time)

l 100g/1 cup (approx) cashews or almonds

l Square of clean muslin/cheesecloth 40cm square (approx) or use a
nut milk bag or a clean pair of tights
l Water, to soak the nuts
l 750ml/3 cups (approx) water
l Pinch of sea salt
l Agave/maple/other vegan syrup or 2 medjool dates (pitted) or
concentrated apple juice to sweeten (optional) – stir in 1 tsp, taste
and add more if necessary

1 Soak the nuts in cold water, cover with a cloth or lid and allow
them to soak for at least 2 hours. Drain and rinse.
2 Place the soaked nuts and the 3 cups of water into the blender or
food processor. Whizz until smooth, for at least one full minute. Add
the sea salt and syrup. Whizz again, taste and add a little more agave
if necessary. If you prefer a less creamy milk, add a little more water –
up to about ¼ cup/4 tbsp and whizz again.
3 Place the square of muslin or nut milk bag over a large bowl then
bring the ends together, twist and squeeze the bag so that the milk
drips into the bowl. Twist tighter to remove as much liquid as possible
from the bag.
4 Store the milk in an air-tight container and refrigerate. Store the nut
pulp in another air-tight container and use within 3 days – add it to
smoothies, soups, stews, energy balls etc.

36 37
Tartar Sauce
Serves 4 | 10 minutes

l 170g/¾ cup vegan mayonnaise (or make a batch of our aquafaba

mayo: veganrecipeclub.org.uk/recipes/aquafaba-mayonnaise)
l 1 shallot, finely diced
l 1 tbsp capers, drained
l 1 tbsp gherkins, finely chopped
l ½ tbsp parsley, finely chopped
l ½ tbsp dill, finely chopped plus a little more for decoration

1 Stir all the ingredients together and decorate with a couple of sprigs
of dill.

Sour Cream
Serves 4-8 | 5 minutes
Health food shops and quite a few of the supermarkets now offer a
vegan sour cream, check out the free-from section. It is however very
cheap, easy and fun to make yourself! It works very well with mushroom
stroganoff, Mexican dishes such as chilli and of course our loaded nachos.

l 350g/1½ cups of firm silken tofu (although you can also use
regular silken tofu or firm tofu)
l 2 tbsp lemon juice
l 1 tbsp plain vegetable oil (not olive) eg rapeseed (canola), plus a
little extra for blending
l 1 tsp cider vinegar
l 1 tsp sugar or agave/other vegan syrup
l ½ tsp salt or a little more, according to taste

1 Blend the tofu until it is completely smooth and has lost its grainy texture.
2 Add the remaining ingredients and blend again until everything is
well mixed – if using extra oil, drizzle in slowly and blend gradually.
Taste and adjust seasoning/flavouring if necessary.

38 39
 Blue Cheese Dressing
Serves 6-8 | 10 minutes

l 100g/1 cup vegan blue cheese (eg Bute Island, Sainsbury’s, Tesco,
BlueRisella, Violife)
l 3 tbsp high quality vegan mayonnaise (eg Follow Your Heart,
Veganaise) or make a batch of Vegan Recipe Club aquafaba
mayo: veganrecipeclub.org.uk/recipes/aquafaba-mayonnaise
l 6 tbsp olive oil
l 6 tbsp water (plus more to thin, if necessary)
l 1 tsp cider vinegar
l ½ tbsp lemon juice
l 1 tsp Dijon mustard
l 1 tsp vegan syrup (eg agave, maple etc)
l Pinch of salt and black pepper, to taste

1 Blend all ingredients together until smooth and the desired

consistency has been achieved.

40 41
 Raita
Serves 4-6 | 10 minutes

l 250g/1 cup natural vegan yoghurt

(sugar-free eg Sojade, Tesco)
l ½ cucumber, finely diced or grated
l 2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
l ½ tsp ground cumin
l ½ clove garlic, finely diced
l 1 tsp lemon juice
l Salt and pepper, to taste

1 Mix all the ingredients together and season to taste.

Salsa
(For a cheatin’ version buy a shop
bought salsa, available in fresh tubs or
jars, nearly all are vegan).

Guacamole l 6 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped

Serves 6-8 | 10 minutes l 1 onion, finely diced
l 2 green chillies, deseeded and
l 3 ripe avocados finely diced
l 1-2 red chillies, deseeded and finely diced l Juice of 2 limes
l ½ red onion, finely diced l Glug of extra virgin olive oil
l Bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped including stalks l 1 clove of garlic, finely diced
l Juice of 2 limes l 1 big bunch of fresh coriander
l Extra virgin olive oil l Salt and pepper, to taste
l Pinch of salt
1 Mix all the ingredients together and
1 Mash the avocado to the consistency of your choice. drizzle with a little of the olive oil.
2 Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and season to taste. 2 Season to taste.

42 43
Cashew Cream/Sauce (sweet or savoury)
Serves 4 | 5 minutes (plus 2 hours soaking time)
Follow the basic recipe and then decide if you need your cashew
cream to be sweet or savoury by adding the extra ingredients below.

Basic
l 165g/1½ cups cashew pieces, soaked for a minimum of two hours
l 125ml/½ cup plant milk or water (add a bit more to make the
sauce thinner, as required)
l Pinch of salt, to taste

1 Blitz all the ingredients together in a high-speed blender, starting

off with the smallest quantity of water (125ml). It’s much easier to
thin the sauce down than to thicken it afterwards. For cake toppings,
you will need to use the minimum amount of water/plant milk so it
stays nice and thick.

Savoury
Add the following to the basic ingredients, blend and then warm on
medium heat for 5 minutes:
l 2 tbsp vegan white wine (optional)
l Juice of half a lemon
l 1 tsp stock powder (eg Marigold vegan)
l 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
l Fresh herbs (eg parsley, sage, optional)
l Salt and pepper, to taste

Sweet
Add the following to the basic ingredients and blend:
l 4 tbsp vegan syrup (eg agave, maple etc)
l 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
l 1 tbsp lemon juice
l Zest of half a lemon
l 1 tbsp melted coconut oil

44 45
 Tahini
Sauce/Dressing
Serves 4 | 5 minutes

l 5 tbsp tahini
l 3 tbsp water
l 3 tbsp olive oil
l 1 clove garlic
l 100ml lemon juice (fresh or
bottled)
l Salt, to taste

1 Blend all the ingredients

together. Add more water if it
needs to be thinned out or more
tahini if it needs to be a bit thicker.
2 Drizzle over salad, roast
vegetables, falafel, burgers,
Buddha bowls, pasta and anything
else you fancy!

46 47
Caesar Salad
Serves 4 | 20 minutes (plus 2 hours soaking time)

Caesar Dressing
l 30g/¼ cup raw cashews, soaked for minimum of 2 hours
l 30ml/¹⁄8 cup water
l 1 tbsp virgin olive oil
l ½ tbsp lemon juice
l ¼ tbsp Dijon mustard
l ¼ tsp garlic powder
l 1 tsp capers
l Salt and freshly ground pepper black pepper, to taste
l ½ garlic clove (optional)
l ¼ tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (eg Biona, optional)
l 1 tsp vegan syrup (eg agave, optional)
l ½ tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

Salad
l Choose from the following or include everything: Baby Gem or
Kos lettuce, croutons, capers, cherry tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts,
avocado, vegan parmesan shavings (eg Violife Prosociano)

Dressing
1 Blend everything together until smooth. Add more salt and pepper
if required.

Salad
1 Arrange the salad ingredients as desired and then pour over the
Caesar dressing. It can be enjoyed as a starter, main or side dish.

48 49
 Cauliflower Cheese
Serves 4 | 30 minutes

Béchamel
l 2 tbsp vegan margarine
l 2 tbsp plain flour
l 200ml (approx) unsweetened soya milk (other plant milks don’t
work well with this recipe so make sure you use soya)
l 2 tsp English mustard
l Pinch of grated nutmeg
l 1 stock cube dissolved in small amount of boiling water
l 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
l Large handful of vegan parmesan eg Violife Prosociano
l Salt and black pepper, to taste

Other
l 1 cauliflower, broken into bite size florets
l 40g breadcrumbs (approx)
l Vegetable oil for frying

Béchamel
1 Using a large saucepan, melt the margarine on a low heat.
2 Take the saucepan off the heat and stir in the flour until you have a paste.
3 Return the pan to the heat, turn up to medium and very gradually
add the soya milk and stock, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
4 Once the sauce has thickened, add the mustard, nutmeg,
nutritional yeast and parmesan.
5 Stir thoroughly then set aside.

Other
1 Bring the cauliflower pieces to the boil for two minutes.
2 Drain thoroughly and then lightly fry on both sides until golden brown.
3 Empty the cauliflower into an oven dish, cover with the cheese
sauce then sprinkle with breadcrumbs until completely covered.
4 Place under a medium grill until nicely browned.
50 51
Tomato, Caramelised Onion & ‘Feta’ Tart
Serves 4 | 1¼ hours

l 320g vegan puff pastry sheet l Juice and zest of 1 lemon

(eg Jus-Rol and some l Extra-virgin olive oil
supermarket own brands are l 3-4 spring onions, finely
vegan, check the ingredients) chopped
l 2 red onions, thinly sliced l 300-400g tomatoes, halved
into rings or quartered (ideally different
l 2 cloves garlic, finely diced colours and sizes)
l 1 tbsp brown sugar or vegan l 5 sprigs of rosemary, stalks
syrup (eg agave) removed and finely chopped
l 200g/2 cups vegan Greek l A few sprigs of fresh thyme
style cheese (eg Bute Island, l Salt and black pepper,
Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Violife) to taste

1 Pre-heat the oven to 180˚C (fan)/350˚F/Gas Mark 4-5.

2 Lightly oil a flat baking tray and place the sheet of pastry on it. Cut
the pastry into four rectangles and separate them slightly.
3 Score a line around the inside of each pastry rectangle, about an
inch from the edge, but don’t cut it right through.
4 In a large frying pan, fry the onions for around 10 minutes before
adding the sugar or syrup and cook for a further 5 minutes until
nicely caramelized.
5 Add the garlic, lemon juice, zest, spring onion and rosemary and fry
for a further couple of minutes.
6 Spoon a quarter of this onion mixture onto the inside rectangles of
each of the pastry pieces and spread evenly.
7 Save some of the vegan cheese to sprinkle over each tart after
cooking and finely slice the rest of the block. Place a few slices over
the onion mix, keeping the mixture as flat as possible. 9 Bake for 25 minutes at 180˚C then turn the oven down to 170˚C and
8 Cover the tarts with the tomatoes (in different sizes and colours) bake for a further 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes have shrivelled.
then top with a drizzle of oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and a couple 10 Remove from oven and replace the burnt thyme sprigs with fresh
of thyme sprigs. ones. Sprinkle over some more of the vegan feta and serve.

52 53
 Refried Black Beans
l 1 tin (400g) black beans, l 1 tbsp lime juice
drained and rinsed l 1 tsp brown sugar or vegan
l 1 tsp paprika syrup (eg agave or maple etc)
l 1 tsp ground coriander l Olive oil for frying
l ½ tsp ground cumin

Tortillas
1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (fan)/350˚F/Gas Mark 4.
2 Line a couple of baking trays with greaseproof paper.
3 Lightly coat the tortilla triangles in a light oil, such as rapeseed.
4 Place them on the baking trays, evenly spaced, then place them in
the oven for around 10 minutes or until golden.

Refried black beans

1 Heat a little olive oil in a small saucepan on a medium heat and add the
spices. Lightly fry for 30 seconds – 1 minute and then add the black beans.
2 Cook the beans for around 5 minutes, stirring throughout.
3 Add the lime juice and sugar, then cook for a further couple of minutes.

Assembly

Loaded Nachos 1 On a large serving plate, add a layer of tortilla chips followed by the
refried black beans, guacamole, salsa, grated cheese and repeat.
Serves 6 | 1 hour 2 Top off with fresh coriander and sour cream.

Tortillas
l 6 flour tortillas (or use shop bought tortilla chips, check the
ingredients to make sure they’re vegan), cut into triangles
l 100g/1 cup grated vegan cheese
l 1 portion of our guacamole, see page 40 (or for a cheatin’
version, buy Sainsbury’s Be Good To Yourself Guacamole or use a
chopped up avocado)
l 1 portion of our sour cream, see page 39 (or for a cheatin’ version,
buy ready-made eg Tesco Free-From, Asda Free-From or Tofutti)
l 1 portion of our salsa, see page 43

54 55
Ultimate
Vegan Pizza
Serves 8 | 1½ hours (including
time for dough to prove)
Don't be put off by the
homemade base because it's
really, really worth it! It's actually
very easy and tastes delicious...
the best base we've ever had!
Choose from your favourite
toppings and get creative.

Dough
l 500g strong white bread
flour
l ½ tbsp salt
l 1x7g sachet/1½ tsp of fast
action dried yeast
l 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
l 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
l 325ml lukewarm water

Tomato Sauce
(If you're short of time, use a
shop-bought passata or dairy-
free pesto eg La Sacla,
Meridian, Zest)
l Olive oil
l 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
l 2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
l Pinch of salt

56 57
Topping 8 Roll out into whatever shape you fancy until the dough is about
l Melting vegan cheese... use a batch of our delicious cheddar or ½cm thick. It should be springy but not sticky.
mozzarella (on pages 71-72) or for a cheatin’ version buy it from
the shops. Our favourite melting varieties are: Violife Mozzarella, Tomato Sauce
Bute Island Sheeze Mozzarella, Bute Island Greek Style Sheese, (This can be made in advance or while the pizza dough is proving)
Tesco and Sainsbury’s Greek Style, MozzaRisella and Daiya cheeses 1 Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan on a low-medium heat and
l Choose from your favourite toppings then add the chopped garlic.
2 Cook for a minute or two until the garlic is light golden in colour.
The pizza pictured above has a topping of: 3 Add the tomatoes, a pinch of salt and leave on a low-med heat for
l Greek Style Sheese (see melting cheese details above) 20-25 minutes.
l Homemade tomato sauce (recipe above) 4 Give it a final stir, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon.
l Black olives
l Caramelised red onion Assembly
l Rocket 1 Heat oven to 250ºC (fan)/480ºF/Gas Mark 9.
2 Spread the passata, pesto or homemade sauce onto the freshly
Dough rolled (uncooked) dough.
1 Sieve the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well (hole) in 3 Add the cheese first (this prevents the toppings sliding off).
the middle. 4 Add a combination of toppings.
2 In a jug, mix the yeast, sugar, oil and water and leave for a few 5 Put in the oven for 7-10 minutes until golden and crisp.
minutes, then pour into the well.
3 Bring the flour in gradually from the sides and whirl it into the liquid
using a fork. Keep mixing, drawing larger amounts of flour in, and
when it all starts to come together, work the rest of the flour in with
clean, flour-dusted hands. Knead until you have a smooth, springy
dough.
4 Place the ball of dough in a large flour-dusted bowl and sprinkle
some flour on top of it. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and place in
a warm room for about an hour until the dough has doubled in size.
5 Now remove the dough to a flour-dusted surface and knead it a bit
to push the air out with your hands. You can either use it immediately
or keep it wrapped in clingfilm, in the fridge (or freezer) until required.
6 If using straight away, divide the dough up into as many little balls
as you want to make pizzas – this amount of dough is enough to
make about 3-4 medium pizzas.
7 Use the dough straight away unless storing.

58 59
 Creamy Mushroom Tagliatelle
Serves 4 | 30 minutes

l 100g/1 cup of any (vegan/egg-free) tagliatelle pasta

l 4 medium-sized mushrooms, sliced
l 50ml/¹⁄5 cup soya cream
l 3 tbsp vegan white wine (optional)
l 1 tsp vegan margarine
l ½ onion, finely diced
l 1 garlic clove, crushed
l 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
l Salt and pepper, to taste
l Parsley as a garnish

1 Heat the olive oil in a medium sized frying pan and add the onion.
2 Lightly fry in the oil until golden brown, then add the mushrooms
and garlic.
3 Cover the pan and let it cook for 5-6 minutes on a medium heat.
Remove the cover and let it cook for 3 more minutes.
4 Add the margarine, soya cream and white wine (if using), stir well
and let it cook for a further 3 minutes.
5 Transfer the sauce from the pan to the blender. You can also use a
stick blender. Set a few of the mushrooms aside for decoration
(optional). Blitz until smooth and then set aside.
6 Using a medium-sized saucepan, bring the tagliatelle to the boil,
add some salt then simmer until the pasta is cooked to your taste or
according to the packet.
7 Drain the pasta and return to the saucepan.
8 Add the blended sauce to the pasta and lightly heat. To make the
cream thinner, add small amounts of water bit by bit (start off with a
tablespoon), as required.
9 Serve on a plate or pasta bowl, season to taste and garnish with
some chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

60 61
62 63
 l 2 tsp Dijon mustard
Traditional Lasagne l Handful of vegan parmesan, grated (eg Violife Prosociano)
Serves 4-6 | 1¼ hours l Salt, to taste

l 500g vegan mince (eg Linda McCartney, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Lasagna

Morrisons, Garden Gourmet) 1 Preheat the oven to 180ºC (fan)/350ºF/Gas Mark 4.
l 2-3 large carrots, very finely diced 2 Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onions until lightly golden.
l 3 sticks celery, very finely diced 3 Add the celery and carrot and fry for a further 5 minutes until
l 2 onions, very finely diced slightly softened.
l 4 cloves garlic, crushed 4 Add the garlic and mushrooms and fry for another 2 minutes.
l 400g/6 cups button mushrooms, halved 5 Add the soya mince, sugar or syrup, dried oregano, bay leaves, sage,
l 2 tbsp sage, finely chopped red wine, plum tomatoes, vinegar, stock, tomato purée, salt and
l 3 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped pepper. Bring to the boil and then simmer until the liquid has nearly all
l 4 bay leaves absorbed (around 30 minutes).
l 60ml/¼ cup red wine vinegar 6 If you can, cover the pan and then leave for a couple of hours to
l 125ml/½ cup vegan red wine absorb the flavours (not essential).
l 3 tbsp tomato purée
l 3 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes Béchamel
l 1 tbsp brown sugar, vegan syrup (eg agave, or xylitol if following 1 Using a large saucepan, melt the margarine on a low heat.
low-sugar diet) 2 Take the saucepan off the heat and stir in the flour until you have a
l 375ml/1½ cups of strong vegan stock paste.
l Salt and pepper, to taste 3 Return the pan to the heat, turn up to medium and very gradually
l Lasagne sheets (egg-free) add the soya milk, whisking continuously to avoid lumps.
4 Once the sauce has thickened, add the Dijon, nutmeg, salt,
Béchamel nutritional yeast and grated parmesan.
Use this Béchamel recipe any time you need a white sauce, eg for
moussaka, cannelloni, pasta bake, pies etc… it’s really versatile and Assembly
very tasty! 1 Cover the bottom of a lasagne dish with one layer of mince mix.
2 Follow this with a layer of pasta (dip each sheet of pasta in water
l 4 tbsp vegan margarine first), a layer of béchamel sauce then another layer of pasta.
l 4 tbsp plain flour 3 Repeat this process until all the ingredients have been used up.
l Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg 4 Grate over your favourite melting vegan cheese and bake for 30-35
l 700ml/3 cups (approx) soya milk (other plant milks don’t work so minutes or until golden brown and completely cooked through.
well but can be used if preferred)
l 2 tbsp nutritional yeast

64 65
 Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Serves 4 | 30 minutes

Cheese Sauce
(Use this sauce anytime you need a cheesy sauce, eg pasta bake,
cauliflower cheese, jacket potato, nachos. You won’t believe how
delicious and cheesy it is!)

l 225g /1¼ cup carrots l 40g/1 cup nutritional yeast

l 650-700g/4 cups potatoes l 2 tbsp lemon juice
l 170ml/²⁄³ cup sunflower oil l 3 tsp salt
l 170ml/²⁄³ cup water l Fresh herbs optional

Pasta
l 300g macaroni plus water for cooking

Cheese Sauce
1 Peel the potatoes and carrots and cut them into small chunks. In a
large saucepan, bring them to the boil and then simmer until soft
(around 20-25 minutes).
2 Drain the water and then add them to the blender.
3 Add all the other ingredients to the blender and then blitz until
really smooth.
4 Add the cheese sauce straight onto the pasta and stir through until
fully covered.
5 Sprinkle with fresh herbs, vegan cheese or enjoy as it is… the
simpler the better with this dish.

Pasta
1 Bring the macaroni to the boil and then simmer according to the
instructions on the packet or to your preferred texture.

66 67
Cheesy Broccoli & Tomato Quiche
Serves 6-8 | 45 minutes

Pastry
l 1 block Jus Rol shortcrust pastry (or other vegan, supermarket
own-brand… check ingredients)

Filling
l 2 tsp olive oil l 1-2 tsp lemon juice (fresh or
l 1 onion, finely diced bottled)
l 2 cloves garlic, crushed l 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
l 400g/1¾ cups firm tofu, l 1 tsp vegan syrup (eg agave
drained or maple)
l 225g/2 cups plus 1 tbsp l ¼-½ tsp turmeric
savoury vegan cream cheese l 1 head of broccoli, broken
(eg Sheese, Tofutti, Tesco, into florets
Sainsbury’s, Koko, Violife) l 3 medium tomatoes, sliced
l 125ml/½ cup unsweetened l 1½ tsp salt (or add more to
plant milk (eg soya, almond taste)
or oat) l Pinch of black pepper and salt
l 1 tsp mixed dried herbs or l 200g/2 cups grated vegan
1 tbsp fresh of your choice melty/pizza cheese
(eg parsley, basil, oregano, (eg Violife, Cheezly, Sheese,
chives) Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda,
l 1 tbsp Dijon mustard Vegusto, Daiya) 6 Blend the cream cheese, tofu, plant milk, Dijon mustard, nutritional
yeast, lemon juice, syrup, turmeric, salt and pepper until fairly
1 Roll out the pastry block to fit a large flan dish (diameter about 25-28 smooth. Stir in the herbs so they're evenly distributed.
cm/10-11 inch). Spread around evenly with your thumb and fingers. 7 Arrange the broccoli, tomato slices and onion mix around the pastry
2 Refrigerate while you prepare the filling. case, evenly.
3 Preheat oven to 190˚C (fan)/375˚F/Gas Mark 5. 8 Pour the filling mixture on top, distributing it evenly with a spatula.
4 Fry the onion in 2 tsp oil for around 5 minutes until softened. Add Sprinkle the melty vegan cheese on the top. Bake in the oven for 30-
the garlic and then fry for a further 2 minutes. 45 minutes or until firm in the middle. Check after 35 minutes, as the
5 Meanwhile, steam the broccoli florets for around 3-5 minutes until time will vary depending on your oven.
just slightly crunchy, not soft. 9 Allow to cool a little before cutting and serving.

68 69
 Easy Peasy Melting Mozzarella
Serves 8 | 10 minutes (plus 2 hours soaking time)

l 100g/¾ cup cashews, soaked for 2 hours minimum

l 200ml/4⁄5 cup water
l 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
l 1 tsp cider vinegar
l 1 tsp salt
l Pinch of garlic powder or ½ clove fresh garlic
l Pinch of onion powder
l 3 tbsp tapioca flour
l 1 tsp lemon juice

1 Blend the cashew nuts with the water until smooth.

2 Add the remaining ingredients and blend until really smooth.
3 Transfer the blended mixture to a medium saucepan. Heat on a
medium-hot heat and constantly stir until the mixture starts to
thicken and come together. When it starts to form a ball and really
clumps together, remove it from the heat.
4 The mixture will be very sticky so you will need to use a bowl of
water to dip your fingers into before touching the cheese.
5 When slightly cooled, mould the cheese into your desired shape (eg
balls, sausage shape or just tear it off to eat straight away).
6 Make sure the cheese has completely cooled before storing it. It will
need to be stored in brine (350ml water mixed with a pinch of salt) in
a sealed container in the fridge.

70 71
‘Cheddar’ Cheese
Serves 4-6 | 10 minutes (plus 1-2 days developing time)

l 110g/1 cup cashew nuts

l 250ml/1 cup juice from sauerkraut (the fresh ones kept in the
fridge have more liquid)
l 1 tsp salt
l 2½ tbsp nutritional yeast
l ½ tbsp onion powder
l 2 tbsp white or yellow miso
l 165ml/½ cup plus an additional 2 tbsp water
l 1 tbsp agar powder (buy this online or from a good health
food shop)
l 2 tbsp tapioca flour

1 Line a pudding basin or any small container of your choice (this will
act as a cheese mould) with cling film (leave some hanging over the
edges) and set aside
2 Blend the cashews, sauerkraut juice, nutritional yeast, onion
powder, salt and miso until very smooth. Pop it into an air-tight
container and then set aside (at room temperature, not in the fridge)
for 1-3 days but a minimum of a day.
3 In a small bowl mix the tapioca flour and 2 tablespoons of water
and set aside.
4 Combine 165ml water with the agar powder in a medium-sized
saucepan plus lid and then simmer on a low heat for a few minutes.
5 Check to see if the mixture is bubbling and if not, wait a couple of
minutes more until it starts to turn into a liquid.
6 Add the cashew mix to the pan and stir in thoroughly. Heat it
through for a couple of minutes before adding the tapioca/water mix.
7 Keep cooking and stirring until the mixture becomes stretchy and
starts to come together. Pour it into the lined container and leave to
cool before putting it in the refrigerator. Ideally leave it to set
overnight but a minimum of 3 hours.

72 73
 Crème Brûlée
Serves 4 | 20 minutes (plus 5 hours setting time)

l 1 tin (400ml)/2 cups coconut milk

l 335ml/1¹⁄³ cup soya milk
l 135g/²⁄³ cup white caster sugar (plus more for topping)
l 2 tsp nutritional yeast
l 2 tsp vanilla paste
l 4 tbsp cornflour
l Pinch of turmeric
l Pinch of salt
l Raspberries, mint and natural vegan yoghurt or ice cream, to
serve (optional)

1 In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with the soya milk and set aside.
2 Whisk together the coconut milk, nutritional yeast, sugar, salt and
then add to a medium size saucepan.
Heat until nearly boiling.
3 Reduce the heat to a simmer and
then add the cornflour/soya milk mix.
4 Keep whisking for about 5 minutes
until the mixture starts to thicken.
5 Once thickened, add the vanilla paste
and turmeric. Stir thoroughly and then
pour evenly into 4 ramekins.
6 Leave them overnight to set or for a
minimum of 5 hours.
7 When ready to serve, take out and
decorate.

74 75
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Serves 4 | 45 minutes

The Puddings
l 240ml/1 cup soya milk l ½ tsp cinnamon
l 110ml/½ scant cup water l Pinch of ground cloves
l 200g/2½ cups pitted dates, l 60g/¹⁄³ cup muscovado sugar
chopped into small pieces (light or dark)
l 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda l 60g/¼ cup golden caster sugar
l 110g/½ cup vegan l 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
margarine/spread l 95g/¾ cup chopped walnuts
l 200g/1½ cups self-raising flour (optional)

Sticky Toffee Sauce

l 3 tbsp golden syrup l 120ml/½ cup soya cream
l 100g muscovado sugar l 150g/²⁄³ cup vegan
(light or dark) margarine/spread
l 100g golden caster sugar l 1 tsp vanilla extract

Puddings 7 Finally add all the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, but only
1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (fan)/350˚F/Gas Mark 4. do this just before you are ready to put the puddings into the oven or
2 Grease 4 pudding basins (209ml approx. Buy from Lakeland, the rising agents will start working too quickly.
supermarket home section or kitchen shop) with vegan margarine 8 Pour the mixture evenly into each pudding basin, about two thirds full.
and place them on a baking tray. 9 Give the tray a tap on the work surface before putting them into the oven.
3 In a small bowl or jug, mix the cider vinegar with a small amount of 10 Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes. The sponge should bounce back
the soya milk and set aside. when ready but you can also test them with a cake probe or skewer.
4 Place the remaining soya milk, water and chopped dates into a
medium size saucepan and simmer until the dates are soft. This Sticky Toffee Sauce
should take around 5 minutes. 1 Make the sauce around 10 minutes before the cakes are due to
5 Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices into a large bowl come out of the oven.
and set aside. 2 Place all ingredients in a medium size saucepan and heat gently on a
6 In a separate bowl, cream the margarine and sugar together until medium heat, stirring well throughout. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes.
smooth. 3 Pour over the freshly baked puddings and serve with vegan ice
cream and fresh mint.

76 77
78 79
Blueberry Meringues with Coconut Meringues
1 Line 1-2 baking trays with baking paper – crumple the paper first as

Cream Whip
this makes the meringues sit on the tray more firmly.
2 Using a glass or metal bowl, whisk the chickpea water with an electric whisk
Serves 6 | 2½ hours until it starts to turn white and frothy. Add the cream of tartar and whisk in.
If you haven't discovered aquafaba yet then you're in for a treat. 3 Add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time and whisk until it is glossy
Basically, that gooey liquid at the bottom of a tin of beans that we and stiff. Depending how powerful your mixer is, this can take from
used to chuck away, works in very similar ways to eggs. Yes, aquafaba 10-20 minutes. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down
is just posh for 'bean water'! Since this discovery, over-excited, without the meringue fluff falling out.
sugared-up vegans and other experimental foodies across the planet 4 Midway through the beating, pre-heat your oven to 100°C
have been experimenting in an absolutely amazing way. This stuff (fan)/200°F/just under Gas Mark ¼.
makes meringues. Proper meringues. Seriously. No, they don't taste 5 Transfer the stiff meringue mixture to a piping bag and pipe around
weird and nobody gets hurt! 6 large dollops onto baking paper on a baking tray.
6 Bake for two hours then turn off the oven. Unclick the door and leave
Meringues to cool for an hour before taking out. Gently peel away from paper. Once
l 2 x 400g tins of chickpeas/cannellini/butterbeans, drained. Use the they’re cooled, store in an airtight container until the dessert is assembled.
liquid– approx 180ml/¾ cup – to make the meringues. (Use the
chickpeas or beans in another recipe or freeze them for another time.) Whipped Cream
l ½ tsp cream of tartar 1 Refrigerate the coconut milk in its tin overnight – or place in the
l 200g/1 cup caster sugar, preferably golden freezer for half an hour but don’t let it actually freeze!
2 When you’re ready to serve, scoop out the thick layer of cream on
Whipped Cream the top and save the watery liquid for a future recipe.
Use this cream any time you need a nice, thick dessert cream… it’s 3 Beat the thick layer of coconut cream in a glass with the electric
delicious and very versatile. As a cheatin’ cream alternative use 2 tubs whisk and add the cream of tartar and vanilla. Add the icing sugar
of Oatly Creamy Oat Fraiche, a vegan crème fraiche. gradually. Chill again until needed.
l 800ml/3¼ cup thick coconut milk (eg Blue Dragon) or coconut cream
l ¼ tsp cream of tartar (optional) Blueberry Sauce
l 8 tbsp icing sugar, sieved 1 Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan, bring to the boil until
l 1 tsp vanilla extract the blueberries start to pop (roughly 2-3 minutes). Stir continuously.
2 Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely before serving.
Blueberry Sauce
l 150g/1½ cups blueberries l 1½ tsp cornflour Assembly
l 60ml maple syrup, agave or l Pinch of salt 1 Spoon equal portions of cream into each meringue then top with
other vegan syrup l 60ml/¼ cup water the blueberry sauce and optional mint, fresh blueberries and a
l ½ tsp vanilla extract l 1 tbsp lemon juice dusting of icing sugar.

80 81
82 83
Vanilla Cupcakes 5 Add the soya/cider vinegar mixture then the oil and vanilla to the
dry ingredients. Only combine the wet and dry ingredients together
Serves 10 | 45 minutes just before you are ready to put them in the oven.
6 Stir everything together using a metal spoon but not too much,
Cupcakes only until everything is combined.
l 250g/2 cups self-raising flour 7 Tap the bowl onto the work surface to stop the raising agents
l 250g/1¼ cups caster sugar working too quickly (this is a tip courtesy of the amazing Ms Cupcake!)
l ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 8 Fill the cupcake cases to ¾ full and tap the tray again.
l ½ tsp baking powder 9 Place in the oven and bake for 15-25 minutes depending on the
l 100ml/²⁄5 cup flavourless oil (eg rapeseed) size of the cupcake. They need to be slightly golden on the surface.
l ½ tbsp vanilla paste or extract 10 Remove from the oven and leave to cool thoroughly before icing.
l 250ml/1 cup unsweetened soya milk
l 5 tsp cider vinegar Icing
l Fresh strawberries, strawberry sauce (eg Askeys for decoration, 1 Whisk together the margarine, vegetable shortening and vanilla
optional) either by hand or electric whisk.
2 Add the icing sugar, a quarter at a time, along with the plant milk
Icing until combined.
l 100g/½ scant cup vegan margarine 3 You can add more icing sugar or plant milk if the icing gets too wet
l 100g/½ scant cup vegetable shortening (eg Trex... this can be or too dry.
found in most supermarkets) 4 Separate the icing in half and place it in two different bowls.
l 1kg/9 cups icing sugar, sieved 5 Add a couple of drops of the red food colouring to one of the
l 60-85ml/¹⁄³ cup plant milk bowls of icing until you get your desired colour.
l 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract 6 Add your favourite cupcake nozzle to a piping bag (these can be
l A few drops of red vegan food colouring bought from supermarkets, online and kitchen shops) and then fill
with one colour of the icing.
Cakes 7 Ice half the cakes with the white icing and half with the pink icing.
1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (fan)/350˚F/Gas Mark 4. 8 Decorate with strawberries, freeze-dried raspberries/strawberries
2 Line a muffin tray with muffin cases or cupcake cases. This recipe and strawberry sauce (eg Askeys).
will make 10 large cupcakes (as pictured) or 15-20 smaller ones.
3 Mix the soya milk and cider vinegar in a bowl and then set aside for
10 minutes.
4 In a large mixing bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients (flour,
sugar, bicarb, baking powder).

84 85
 Banana Bread with Cashew Cream Icing
Serves 8-10 | 1¼ hours (plus 2 hours soaking time)

Cake
l 250g/2 cups self-raising flour l 60ml/¼ cup soya milk
l 1 tsp baking powder l 1 tsp cider vinegar
l 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda l 1 tsp cinnamon
l 200g/1 cup coconut sugar or l ¼ tsp all spice
soft brown sugar l 1 tsp vanilla
l 115g/½ cup vegan l Pinch salt
margarine/spread l 100g/¾ cup walnut pieces
l 3 very ripe bananas

Icing
l Make a batch of our cashew cream (sweet) on page 44

Cake
1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C (fan)/350˚F/Gas Mark 4.
2 Grease and line a large loaf tin with baking parchment.
3 Mix the soya milk and cider vinegar together in a small bowl and set aside.
4 Into a large bowl, sieve the flour, baking powder, bicarb, spices and
set aside.
5 In a separate bowl, cream the margarine and coconut sugar then
add the bananas and mix until smooth.
6 Mix the wet ingredients together with the dry ingredients just
before you are ready to put the cake in the oven. Combine
thoroughly and then pour into the lined cake tin. Add more soya milk
if the mixture is too thick.
7 Bake in the oven for an hour or until golden and fully cooked
through. Test with a cake probe.
8 Wait until the cake has completely cooled before adding the
cashew cream icing. Top with walnuts and serve.

86 87
88 89
White Chocolate & Raspberry Cheesecake 5 Empty the mixture into the greased cake tin and evenly distribute
along the bottom and up the sides of the tin. Place in the fridge until
Serves 8-10 | 2 hours (plus overnight setting time) you need it.
Base
l 400g vegan digestive biscuits l 170g/¾ cup vegan Cake
(eg McVitie’s Light, some of margarine/spread 1 Blend the ground almonds, cream cheese, coconut milk, sugar,
the supermarket ‘free-from’ l 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted flour, cornflour, lemon juice, vanilla paste, melted coconut oil and salt
and own brands are vegan, until really smooth.
check the ingredients first) 2 Melt the white chocolate using a double boiler (a glass or ceramic
bowl that fits on a saucepan of simmering water but doesn’t touch
Cake the bottom) and then pour immediately into the cake mix and blend.
l 100g/1 cup ground almonds l 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted 3 Take the base out of the fridge and pour the cake mix straight onto the
l 500g/4¼ cups vegan cream l 150g/1 cup vegan white base. Give it a bit of a shake to make sure the mixture is evenly distributed.
cheese (eg Bute Island, Tofutti, chocolate (eg IChoc, Organica, 4 If you would like to add raspberries to the cake mix, push them
Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Violife) Sainsbury’s free-from) evenly into the mixture until they are fully submerged.
l 1 x 400ml tin/1½ cups plus l Pinch of salt 5 Fill a deep baking tray with water (around 1 inch). If you are using a
1 tbsp of coconut milk l 1-2 tsp vanilla paste or extract cake tin with a loose bottom, make sure it is really securely covered
l 150g/¾ cup granulated l 1-2 tsp lemon juice with foil before placing it into the water.
white sugar (fresh or bottled) 6 Put the tray with the cake into the pre-heated oven and bake for 1
l 6 tbsp plain flour, sieved l 100g/¾ cup raspberries hour 30 minutes.
l 4 tbsp cornflour (optional) 7 The top of the cake will start to brown and this is fine but if it starts
to get too brown, turn the temperature down by 10 ˚C.
Topping 8 When the cake is ready, take it out of the oven and leave it to cool
l 170g/1¹⁄³ cups raspberries l Selection of mixed berries for an hour before putting it into the fridge to set overnight.
l 2 tbsp raspberry jam and fresh mint for decoration 9 Once set, remove from the cake tin using a hot knife.
l 300g/2 cups icing sugar, sieved (optional)
Topping
Base 1 Heat the raspberries and the jam on a low heat for 5 minutes until
1 Pre-heat the oven to 150˚C (fan)/300˚F/Gas Mark 2. blended and smooth. Squish the raspberries against the side of the
2 Grease a loose bottom cake tin (20cm diameter and 7cm deep) pan with a wooden spoon if they still remain whole.
with vegan spread. 2 Stir the sieved icing sugar into the pan and heat until fully dissolved.
3 Blend the digestives until fine. 3 Pass the sauce through a sieve and then pour it on the top of the cake
4 Gently melt the margarine and coconut oil in a small saucepan on a until fully covered, top with berries (optional) and set for another hour.
low heat until fully dissolved. Combine thoroughly, with the blended 4 Serve as it is or with vegan ice cream. Enjoy!
digestives, in a large mixing bowl.

90 91
Eat out dairy-free Independent restaurants
Try ethnic food such as Thai (often a great choice and they use
coconut milk instead of dairy milk in cooking), Japanese (again, don’t
Whether you’re going for a sandwich or for a sit-down meal, there cook with dairy), Chinese (many stir-fried vegetable and bean
are plenty of places to find dairy-free options. curd/tofu dishes will be suitable), Indian (usually a good selection; try
Most chains – and increasingly, more independents – carry an allergy a mix of vegetable side dishes with rice (chapattis, pakoras, samosas,
list which will contain dairy-free and vegan options. If an independent dhal and poppadoms are usually vegan). Also try veg mezze at Greek,
doesn’t offer much, keep asking politely. They want to keep your Turkish and Middle Eastern restaurants.
custom – and it’s worth reminding them that parties of mixed Pizza is still great without the cheese but lots of the Italian/pizza
customers eat where the dairy-free and vegans can eat. Also, everyone chains now offer vegan cheese! Ask Italian, Bella Italia, Pizza Express,
eats dairy-free and vegan food if it’s tasty. Keep lobbying the chains Pizza Hut, Zizzi all offer vegan cheese and many others are following
too – they tend to be more conservative but they have made changes suit. Domino’s are trialling vegan pizzas with cheese in 43 stores as
over the years and will continue to do so if there is customer demand. we go to press.

Viva!’s catering guide

Vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free catering
Catering
I ATE HERE CARDS
tips, £6.99
Guide
Vegetarian,
vegan and dairy-
We have a fantastic guide for professional Thank you!
I ate here because
free catering tips caterers and veggie/vegan customers who want Carry these great little business-sized cards in your you offer vegan foo
d
By Jane Easton, Food & Cookery Info: viva.org.uk
more inclusive menus from restaurants. Buy for wallet, where they’ll be to hand when you come Recipes: veganreci
Coordinator, Viva!
peclub.org.uk
Big yourself up!:
myvegantown.org.u
k
your local restaurant to help them get with it. Or across a restaurant or café serving amazing vegan
download the new updated version FREE! food and want to let them know how much you
£6.99

ive
vivashop.org.uk/viva/viva-materials/guides-reports/catering-guide appreciate it! Order here: Poseigt anly
V
vivashop.org.uk/products/i-ate-here-business-cards

Coffee shops
Café Nero, Starbucks, Costa, Pret and all the major chains now offer soya
milk in hot drinks – free or for a small charge. So do many independents,
e’d
love you...
W
delicious
…to offer moreWe’d like
We’d Love you To Cards
vegan food. re!
Also carry these great little suggestion business
to eat here mo
particularly in cities and towns. Soya lattes and soyacinos (the dairy-free easyvegan
Info: viva.org.uk/ lub.org.uk
ipec
Recipes: veganrec up!:
cards to let businesses know you’d love to eat
Big yourself
alternative to cappuccinos!) are delicious – or ask them to heat some myv ega ntow n.org.uk
there if they had more vegan options! Order
soya milk separately for your Americano/plain coffee! Some chains, eg here: vivashop.org.uk/products/copy-of-i-ate-
Little Chef and train caterers are, as yet, sadly lacking. Try to buy your here-business-cards
itively
food and hot drinks from station forecourts, eg M&S and Waitrose. Posegan
V

92 93
Restaurant Chains Subway OTHER
Tossed All Bar One
Listed below are chains that have at least one vegan option. If the West Cornwall IKEA
staff are a bit vague ask to see their free-from/allergens list. Vegan Party Co. Pieminister
options are getting better and better and there’s now a huge amount Wrap Station Travelodge
of restaurants providing a variety of interesting dishes.

PUB CHAINS Pizza Express LATIN/

MORE EATING OUT INFORMATION

Beefeater Pizza Hut MEDITERRANEAN
Chef & Brewer Prezzo Barburrito
Cosy Club Strada Bravas MY VEGAN TOWN myvegantown.org.uk
Crown Carveries The Stable Chimichanga Viva!’s go-to, global source for everything vegan including eating out,
Fayre & Square Wildwood Chipotle places to stay, groups, events and favourites. You can also add your
Harvester Zizzi Chiquito own listings as well as reviews – it’s easy!
Hungry Horse Giraffe l Veganuary veganuary.com/eating-out
JD Wetherspoon PORTUGUESE La Tasca l Happy Cow happycow.net
The Lounges Nando’s Las Iguanas l Trip Advisor tripadvisor.co.uk
Marston’s Leon l Vegan Food & Living veganfoodandliving/tag/eatingout
Sizzling Pubs BURGERS The Real Greek l Vegetarian Visitor vegetarianvisitor.co.uk
Slug & Lettuce Bill’s Tortilla
TGI Fridays Byron Wahaca There are also excellent local vegan groups on social media
Toby Carvery Handmade Burger (particularly facebook) and several regional websites eg
Turtle Bay Company FAST FOOD l Eat Out Wales eatoutveganwales.wales
Vintage Inns Bagel Nash l Vegan in Ireland veganinireland.com
ORIENTAL Boots l Vegan London veganlondon.co.uk
PIZZA/ITALIAN Busaba Eathai Caffè Nero l Vegan Cornwall vegancornwall.co.uk
ASK Italian Itsu Coffee Republic l Vegan Bristol veganbristol.com
Bella Italia Pho Costa Coffee l Vegan Liverpool scouseveg.co.uk
Café Rouge Thaikun EAT
Carluccio’s Wagamama Go Falafel
Domino’s Wasabi Le Pain Quotidien
Frankie & Benny’s Wok to Walk Marks and Spencer
Jamie’s Italian Yo Sushi Pret A Manger
La Tasca Spudulike
Pepenero Starbucks

94 95
everyone’s going Dairy-free
The handy guide for dairy-free living includes Viva!’s
Dairy-free delights include: top dairy-free
secrets
l Divine dairy-free recipes that will please everyone
l Calcium rich foods – a reassuringly simple and sound
picture chart
l Shopping tips – supermarkets £3
and beyond
l Supermarket dairy-free lists and
how to access them
l Dairy-free products to make or buy
l Tofu tips – different types and
flavours and what to do with them
l Eating out made easy