Are you under the impression that vegetarian or vegan diets are harder to stick to than carnivore ones? Well, we are here to prove that statement wrong! Switching to a plant-based diet, even if  it's not everyday, can and will be difficult to get used to, especially if you often eat meat, dairy and other animal products on a daily basis.

Whenever you're trying to make something new you've never tried before, whether it's a new world cuisine, a new baking challenge or yes, cooking vegan, all you need to realize is there's a learning process that has to take place.

To help you, we have gathered some Waku Tips so that you can prepare your favorite Plant-Based dishes in a faster and easier way so that you can stick to your meatless goals:

1. Get to know your products 

Visit your local Organic Shop or Farmer’s Market and ask about the vegetables and ingredients you’ve never seen before or don’t know how to incorporate. Take notes and then go home to search recipes with the ones that interest you the most.

2. Buy foods you’ve never bought before

Start experimenting! Try adding different nuts and random vegetables to your meals and mix it up. Experiment with new flavors and seasoning so that you can also have fun while cooking new plates.

3. Define your favorite bases

Have a list of bases you like and that will work with multiple ingredients. For example, if you really like noodles, you could always have a variety of noodles and have them ready to cook but change the toppings every day. Today you could put salted veggies on top and tomorrow a vegan cheese sauce! 

4. Learn about seasonal produce

Some fruits and vegetables are easier and cheaper to find in certain seasons. Look up the best ingredients to cook in let's say, spring, and then search for recipes with those ingredients so that you can buy them and enjoy fresh seasonal plates.

5. Switch the version of your favorite plates

If you really like cheeseburgers, try all the vegan options of them! Put a Beyond Meat on the grill and accompany it with salty and crispy fries to enjoy. A good beginner's tip is to make what you normally would, but the plant-based version of it.

6. Embrace the oven

Take full advantage of your kitchen oven to roast, defrost and cook as many vegetables and plant-based meats as possible. The oven is a great flavor infusing and it will also make your dishes even healthier by not having to fry them.

7. Have your main seasoning ingredients ready

Chop, slice and dice ahead of time so that everything is ready-to-go and you can focus on decorating, seasoning and serving a beautiful Instagram worthy plate that takes little time to prepare and tastes absolutely delicious.

8. Cook Vegetables by Category

This will allow you to batch cook a lot of vegetables at the same time but will help make sure that they all finish at the same time. For example, if you want to cook different vegetables at the same time, but one category of vegetables in the pan, first boil the ones you need to boil and when they are almost ready, start roasting the other ones in the pan so that they are both ready at the same time.

9. Stop thinking as a meat-based diet eater

Forget about the plates that are centered on the protein and consist of a huge steak and mashed potatoes. Instead, for example, fall in love with veggie bowls. In them, you can combine a lot of different plant-based components and decorate with amazing sauces and crunchy toppings. 

10. Improve your kitchen time

Make cooking time something to look forward to. Play your favorite background music, call a friend or family member to catch up or listen to your favorite podcast while preparing your meals throughout the day. This way, you'll feel like heading in there even when you're feeling tired or cooking feels overwhelming.

If you found these tips useful, check out these referenced blogs for more information and ideas!

References

Learning a New Way of Cooking: Plant-Based Basics, Tips, Techniques and More

9 Cooking Tips for Preparing Plant-Based Meals