The vegan store cupboard

Here’s a list of items that you might want to have in your cupboard to help you put together tasty vegan meals quickly

Savoury yeast – this looks a bit like flaked wood, but tastes delicious. You’ll find it in the bulk bins, it’s great for thickening and gives a great flavour. Healtheries do a boxed version which you can find in the supermarket’s baking section.

Tahini -  made from ground up sesame seeds, this is nutritious and good for thickening (It also makes things creamy, so it can be used to make ‘cheesy’ sauces and salad dressings).

Tofu - this high-protein health food is rather tasteless until you add flavor to it in some way. You can buy expensive packs of flavoured tofu, or go the cheap route and buy the plain and marinade it yourself.

Lentils and chickpeas - mix them with a can of tomatoes, a few chopped veges and onion to make a really quick meal.  Buying them in tins is a great way to make it easy on yourself, but it’s cheaper  to cook them yourself  if you have the time .

Scroggin or mixed nuts - a quick energy booster – my daughter tends to carry a little bag or jar of mixed seeds and nuts with her wherever she goes. You can add some raisins, other dried fruit or even small chunks of vegan chocolate to make it more appealing.

Bragg’s Liquid Aminos -harder to find, but if you can, it’s worth it!  This great soy sauce substitute comes in a pump action spray bottle and is great for adding flavour to food after it’s cooked.

Chick pea flour - this might be harder to find, but worth it – it’s a really rich high-protein flour. Check the bulk bins, then the health foods section.