Going plant based for ethical reasons means that you probably don’t want anything on your plate that resembles animals, Vegans (to which the name is correctly aside) aren’t going to want something that simulates a dead creature, or at least that would make sense. However, thanks to the recent surge of people moving away from meat and dairy, folk from many different backgrounds and with vastly different philosophies are taking up the plant-based banner and waving it freely. For many of these new arrivals, changing their meals so drastically may not be what they hope for and instead love the idea of their being a meatless clone they can opt for. For a long while burger and sausages have just about managed to fit the bill but nowadays almost anything has a fantastic plant only alternative, just look at these wonders.
Eggs
These have to be one of the toughest things to simulate. Not only do they pack a bunch of fat and protein they also have a unique consistency which makes them so versatile. Eggs have long given the meatless community a headache since many baked goods demand eggs for their reactionary qualities when heated, but as you will notice by the rising quantities of vegan cakes, this is no longer an issue. Eggs on their own are very different though but those who love a good egg or two for breakfast no longer have to pine, the vegg is here. You will find these on shelves in egg boxes, but inside there is a bag of what is essentially powdered egg. Just add water to spoonful or two of this stuff and whisk, immedietly you will have something that looks, cooks and tastes remarkably like the real thing.
Seafood
Of course, there are many places which serve vegan sushi though swapping out salmon for a carrot isn’t quite what everyone is looking for. Fish, like egg, has qualities unique to it that include the oily fatty exterior and the soft sub-meat texture which make it a nightmare to try and imitate. Texture wise there is jackfruit, if you’ve ever opened a tin of the stuff you will be forgiven for thinking you have accidentally bought tuna, but you have to add your own flavour and here is where things may go amiss. It’s a good job that some smart food companies have that nailed down, Fry’s have not just a selection of frozen breaded plant-based prawns but also have some scampi bites that are deceptively on point.
Pizza
It may not seem like something that is difficult to turn vegan but that mouth-watering stretchy mozzarella that the adverts exploit isn’t something the dairy free cheese industry got right first time, or second time for that matter. Animal free cheese is a tough one, sometimes literally, often it becomes hard when cooked making it more crispy than stringy, other versions are runny like a bad milk. Recently however several plant pioneers have had eureka moments, one of which being fast-food chain Papa John’s. Their brand called Sheese now coats their delicious pizza bases for an almost perfect pizza alternative.
