With concerns over battery eggs (there is not enough land in England for everyone to eat free-range, and most free-range eggs result in male chicks being killed at birth), many people are turning to plant-based recipes.
Before cooking, read up on food safety for people and pets.
For ingredients packaging, most councils and supermarket bag bins now accept all soft plastics for recycling.
Commercial farming tends to rush when sexing chicks, so sometimes they get mixed up. This is what happened when one woman bought three duck eggs (presumed unfertilised) from Waitrose. But they hatched (thankfully she knew what she was doing). She named them Beep, Peep & Meep!
Learning to cook your own simple plant-based recipes is peaceful politics in action. You don’t have to be vegan to whip up a plant-based meal. Which gives less profits to the supermarket ready-meal industry, costs less, uses less packaging and tastes better!
If you’re not a natural cook, just keep trying a few good recipes. Once you’ve mastered them, you’ll have a small repertoire of meals that you enjoy, to make again and again. Most of us only eat the same nine or so meals most of the time. So it won’t be long before you’re eating mostly home-cooked meals, which taste good and do good!
What Exactly Is Aquafaba?
No-alcohol pina colada made with Aquafaba
Vegan meringue may sound strange, but it’s a natural process that was accidentally discovered a few years back, by a food boffin. When you whizz up the leftover brine water from canned chickpeas (combined with a little sugar) it miraculously turns into the same ‘meringue’ made with egg whites. With this finding, obviously vegans the world over were busy creating plant-based makeovers of everything from lemon meringue pie to pavlova.
The process is called ‘aquafaba’ which is Latin for ‘bean water’. It’s basically the starchy liquid that holds air well. Use the canned chickpeas for hummus or add to pasta sauce. The only caveat is to ensure you buy chickpeas in unsalted water (most cans these days are not lined with toxic BPA plastic).
It’s best to use caster sugar for this recipe (never use xylitol sweetener near pets, just a few crumbs can be lethal). The best results occur when you also add a little cream of tartar (helps hold the shape longer) or instead use a splash of vinegar or lemon juice.
Simple Steps to Make Homemade Aquafaba
- After using up your canned chickpeas, save the liquid at room temperature (3 tablespoons equals one egg white). Make meringues on a dry day, as humidity affects results.
- Pour the chickpea brine water into a clean metal or glass bowl, and use an electric mixer to whip on medium speed for around 5 minutes, until it looks foamy. Increase speed to high until you get ‘stiff peaks’ and can turn the bowl upside down without the mix spilling.
- Then lower speed and slowly add 1 tablespoon of sugar at a time, whisking each time to dissolve.
To make ‘meringues’, spoon the mix into desired shapes, and bake on parchment paper for 90 to 120 minutes in the oven, until firm and dry, then turn off the oven and leave them to cool for an hour, to prevent cracking.
Fill with vegan double cream and top with fresh fruits. Store leftover meringues for up to a few days in an airtight container.
Simple Vegan Recipes Using Aquafaba
This brown sugar frosting (Addicted to Dates) only need a few ingredients. Use it top all your favourite cakes and bakes.
Make Your Own Aquafaba Cocktails
These simple recipes by an Aussie brand of aquafaba offer lovely ideas. Choose from Whisky Sour or Espresso Martini.
