As another Veganuary passes, here at Innermost we feel that our vegan recipes this Veganuary were bigger and better than ever. So much so, actually, that we are really excited to share them with you.
From delicious breakfasts and cult-favourite meat substitutes to our classic vegan protein shakes (made with The Health Protein, of course), we’re here to give you our lowdown on our favourite recipes that we’ve made this Veganuary.
Before we get into the swing of these recipes though, for those of you that aren’t familiar with Veganuary, let’s talk about why people do Veganuary, the benefits of Veganuary, and pretty much everything how to do Veganuary related. So, what is Veganuary?
Let’s do this.
What is Veganuary?
Veganuary is an annual month-long push to encourage people to try out a vegan diet throughout the month of January. As January has long-been a month famed for its opportunity for a fresh start, with new years’ resolutions, the creation of new habits and for many of us, an attempt to stop or cut back on potentially bad or unhealthy habits.
With famous ambassadors such as Paul McCartney, Evanna Lynch and Sara Pascoe, Veganuary is participated in by people from over 209 countries and territories. What’s more, over 580,000 people signed up in 2021, and that number grows year on year. Exponentially.
People participate in Veganuary for several reasons, but generally most are interested in doing their bit for the planet and making healthy swaps from meat and dairy to plant-based alternatives like oat milk and sunflower mince.
What are the health benefits of Veganuary?
Some people note benefits of saving money (as we all know how pricey meat and cheese can be), but the major benefits of Veganuary are health related. We’re talking greater energy levels, a reduced cancer risk and a decrease in the likelihood of developing diabetes, among other benefits….
Other great health benefits of Veganuary include:
- Maintains a healthy gut biome
- Helps you lose weight
- Enhances your immune system
Your Innermost Veganuary inspiration
It was pretty hard to widdle down a month of delicious Veganuary recipes here at Innermost, but the team have succeeded. Here are our top three…
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Vegan Cheat Day Mac-n-Cheese
For this delicious cheesy-but-not-cheesy treat, you’ll need a few delicious ingredients. We’ve made it nice and easy for you by listing them below…
- 350g dried macaroni pasta
- 1 onion
- 85g plain flour (for the sauce, of course)
- 1 teaspoon of English mustard
- 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
- 50g vegan cheese
- 3 cloves of garlic
- Salt, pepper, and thyme (to season)
- Breadcrumbs
Step-by-step:
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and cook your macaroni
- Peel and chop your onion and garlic gloves into chunks and heat in a pan of oil over a medium heat
- Slowly heat and add the milk to the pan, stir consistently
- Remove the onion from the pan and set in a bowl to the side
- Create a roux sauce and stir continuously to form a paste
- Stir in the mustard and yeast flakes with the cheese and then season with the salt and pepper
- Drain and add the macaroni to the roux sauce and stir
- Transfer this mix into an ovenproof dish, top with breadcrumbs and pop in the oven
- Cook for 20 to 25 minutes until the breadcrumbs are brown
Voila!
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Innermost’s Peanut Butter and Banana Vegan Protein Shake
Delicious, refreshing, filling and packed to the brim with protein. What more could you need? Perfect for a mid-morning snack, a quick lunch or for a tasty treat after your evening gym class, this vegan peanut butter shake is one of our favourite Veganuary recipes ever.
You’re going to love it.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 300ml Soy milk
- The Health Protein (one scoop)
- 2 scoops of peanut butter
- 1 fresh banana
- 1 scoop of cocoa powder
- Rolled oats
- Chia seeds
- Dates
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Vegan Pasta Salad
Great for on-the-go lunches and tasty dinner times, this easy to whip-up pasta salad is one that we discovered in Veganuary but are taking through with us throughout the year.
This twist on a classic Caesar Salad is one that will go down a treat for this year’s summer BBQ parties too, so write this recipe down ASAP.
We’ll leave the portioning up to you (depending on how many you’re feeding), but you will need:
- A dried pasta shape of your choice
- Vegan caesar dressing
- Romaine lettuce (iceberg would work well here too)
- Chickpeas
- An avocado, sliced
- Nutritional yeast (parmesan alternative)
- Salt and pepper (to season, of course)
Prep for this delicious Veganuary dish is simple. Bring water to the boil and cook your dried pasta. Whilst this is boiling, prep the salad by cutting the lettuce and halving the tomatoes. Then, when your pasta is ready (we recommend al dente for this dish), rinse and drain and set to the side.
Finally, add the remaining ingredients and drizzle (or coat) with Caesar dressing depending on your preference… and bingo!
You’re ready to go.
