Cook delicious, satisfying meals using only plant-based ingredients—no meat, dairy, eggs, or animal products.
Vegan cooking requires creativity and knowledge of: protein sources (legumes, tofu, tempeh, seitan, nutritional yeast), dairy substitutes (cashew cream, coconut milk, oat milk, vegan butter), egg replacers (flax eggs, aquafaba, commercial replacers), and umami boosters (miso, mushrooms, soy sauce).
Master techniques: pressing tofu (removes water, improves texture), making cashew cream (soak, blend—rich sauce base), cooking beans from scratch, and using nutritional yeast ("nooch"—cheesy flavor, B vitamins). Learn: Buddha bowls, curries, pasta dishes, stir-fries, veggie burgers. Challenges: ensuring complete nutrition (B12, iron, protein), convincing texture and flavor.
Benefits: environmental impact, animal welfare, health (when done well). Expands cooking creativity—can't rely on butter/cream shortcuts.