Veganuary Rice Paper Rolls

Summer is on its way, and the pressure to don the bikini is mounting!

This is the start of a few summer recipes that will help you on your way to feeling great.

Remember its not how you look that's important, its how you feel.

When you eat deliciously fresh plant based food, you always feel better!

 

Ingredients
8 small rice paper wrappers
60g rice vermicelli
8 Fry's Family battered prawns, lightly fried
1 tbsp chopped basil
3 tbsp chopped mint leaves
3 tbsp chopped coriander
1 carrot, finely sliced (julienne strips)
2 lettuce leaves, chopped
2 avocados, sliced
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon finely chopped roasted peanuts

Method
Boil rice noodles for 3 to 5 minutes.
Rinse thoroughly with cold water and drain well so they don't stick together.
Fill a large bowl with warm water.
Dip one wrapper into the water for a few seconds (1-3 secs) to soften.
Lay wrapper on the plate and place 2 Fry's -prawn' halves, a handful of noodles, basil, mint, coriander, lettuce, carrots in a row across the centre, leaving a few cm of the wrapper uncovered on each side.
Lay the avocado slices over the top.

Fold in uncovered sides of wrapper, then tightly roll to enclose the filling.
Repeat!
Sauce: Mix the hoisin sauce and peanuts together.
Serve the rice paper rolls with hoisin-peanut dipping sauce.

Veganuary is here! 6 tips for a Vegan Virgin

 

Australians Googled  'vegan' more than any other country in the world in 2015 and according to market research company Euromonitor International, Australia is the third fastest growing vegan population globally, with a vegan food industry worth more than $136 million.

Veganism is no longer simply a -fad diet' for hippies, but is now a mainstream life choice. For those that might be interested in dipping their toe in the ways of vegan living, it can appear daunting. With Veganuary here, that's 'Vegan January' to you and me, here are some tips for vegan virgins looking to try out the vegan way of life.

 

Take it slow - The most important thing to remember when becoming a vegan is to go at your own pace. Cutting all animal products out of your diet in one fell-swoop is not only difficult, but it could mean you fall of the vegan-wagon within days of starting out. Focus on making small changes such as trying out Meatless Monday, or removing dairy one week and red meat the next. Trying to do it all without proper research could leave you staring longingly at your mates burger while you munch on a carrot stick, and vegan food is so much more than that!

Keep an open mind - Speaking of research, make sure you do some! Instead of focusing on all the foods you can't eat, focus on the new ones that you may not have tried before. There are so many meat and dairy substitutes available at almost all supermarkets and at relatively low costs. If you're not sure where to start, head to your local vegan restaurant for some inspiration or join a vegan community group for added support, ideas and advice. One of the best things about the vegan community is that everyone is happy to help those who are just starting out!

FoodByUs - For those who are time poor, or just feel overwhelmed with the idea of using nutritional yeast for the first time, remember that there are people out there skilled at vegan cooking  who can help you out. FoodByUs is a food sharing website that connects talented (and in your case vegan) home cooks to hungry locals, allowing you to get delicious vegan home cooked meals delivered to your door. The best part is, you can filter your food searches by dietary requirements to make the ordering process easier for all newborn vegans out there.

Vegan Meal Ideas - January is the perfect time to give veganism a try because you'll be making the pledge with other vegan virgins. Veganuary is a global charity that encourages people to try veganism for January. The website offers not just support, but a plethora of meal ideas to help you avoid staring blankly at the supermarket shelves while inwardly screaming 'why did I agree do this?!?'. They've even got a Healthy Vegan Recipes section for those looking to start the New Year with a healthkick!

Vegansipiation on Instagram - For the foodies out there who like their meals looking gorgeous, Instagram is a great way to get inspiration for your next dinner party and for your everyday meals. Your mates might not be plant based… yet, however, after a feed at your place they could be singing a much greener tune. Check out the_buddest_chef, sweetsimplevegan and plantbased_pixie for some great vegan meal ideas this January.

Deliveroo for those naughty takeaways - Just because you're going vegan, doesn't mean you need to forgo delicious takeaways, particularly for those feeling a little worse for wear after the New Year celebrations. Deliveroo allows you to filter restaurants by those who offer vegan meals, allowing you to get food on the run without compromising your Veganuary resolution - did someone say Beet-za?