Despite a modern obsession for cookery shows, the truth is that most people will take a quick tinned meal anyway (like beans on toast). Here are a few other good tinned meals.
They are ideal if you can’t be bothered to make your own seitan or don’t have the time or energy every night, to cook a meal from scratch. If bulk-buying, use
Store half-eaten meals from tins in airtight containers (don’t keep in tins). Read more on food safety for people and pets.
SUMA is a co-operative that sells wholesale to independent health shops. It has its own range of good tinned meals that you can find in health shops, farm shops and some smaller supermarkets (like Co-op or NISA). These are mostly with protein, so with bread and some vegetables, make balanced meals. They don’t even need can openers. Just open, heat and eat:
- Vegan Ravioli with Mushroom Sauce
- Vegan Mac n Cheeze
- Vegan Cheesy Pasta Pot
- Spicy chorizo stew (chickpeas, peppers)
- Vegan Meatballs
- Vegan Meatball Bolognese
- Saag Aloo (‘curry in a tin’ with potato, spinach and spices)
- Baked Beans with vegan sausages
Tins of Seitan ‘Mock Duck!
Look in health stores for tins of mock duck. This is actually very tasty, a mix of seitan (wheat meat) in gravy. Use it to make stews and casseroles. You could use it to make this recipe for vegan cottage pie (which uses vegan tinned mince, which is presently only sold in Australia).
Indian-Influenced Vegan Tinned Meals
GEO Organics offers tinned meals including chickpea lentil dahl, tasty tarka dahl, coconut kale dahl, chickpea apricot tagine & Moroccan chickpea tagine. Plus side dishes of Bombay potatoes (with tomatoes & spices) and thick vegetable hotpot (carrots, parsnips, potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes & herbs).
Princes plant-based ready meals are in 2-person portions. Just heat for 5 minutes on the stove and serve with rice, pasta or on baked spuds:
- Thai Green Curry (onion, green pepper, green beans, sweet potato, water chestnuts) in a garlic, lime, ginger spicy coconut cream).
- Mexican Mixed Bean Chilli (tomatoes, peppers, spices and mix of beans – kidney, black & pinto)
- Chunky Vegetable Curry (lentils & chickpeas with potato, carrot, onion, green beans, tomatoes & spices)
- Lentil & Mushroom Bolognese (red lentils, tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, carrot, peppers, garlic, ginger, herbs and molasses with vegan Worcestershire sauce).
