K'NYAY - Vegan Cuisine

So why become a vegan, why give up what compromises the majority of the foods we eat? There are many reasons.

Some cannot bring themselves to financially support intensive fishing and farming methods which cause pain and suffering to countless animals every year, and deplete the oceans’ fish stocks irreparably.
Some cannot understand the logic which tells us to love, pet and respect some animals, but kill, eat and mistreat others.
Some find the irrational preference for animal farming ecologically, and economically unsound.
For others it is simply a question of health.

Whatever your reasons, all vegans are left with the same question of how to maintain an animal-free diet that is interesting, tasty and fun.

Here at K’NYAY we aim to dispel the myth that we need animal products to create mouthwatering meals. With time and tastebuds, ideas and inspiration from friends and family, we hope that we provide a menu which is absolutely animal-free and absolutely delicious.

Unlike many other food products, those labelled ‘suitable for vegans’ are actually suitable for nearly everyone. They meet the needs of those avoiding certain meats for religious reasons; of those cutting down on saturated fat; of those who suffer from dairy intolerances; and, of course of those who are vegetarian.

Read about getting important vitamins and minerals on a vegan diet

PROTEIN 20% of diet:

soya beans, grains, nuts

CARBOHYDRATE 65% of diet:

50% from beans, peas, dark green leafy vegetables, fruits, pumpkin, squashes, root vegetables, sweet peppers 15% from brown rice, corn, wheat, rye, wholegrain breads, pasta

FAT 15% of diet:

palm/coconut oil, olive/canola oil, soya beans, walnuts, sunflower/sesame oil

A balanced vegan diet can provide all the nutrients needed for a healthy body. Eat a varied diet and ensure that you incorporate all the nutrients listed below for a chance of living an extra ten healthy years compared with the average omnivore.

VITAMINS

Vitamin A (Beto-carotene)

Essential for: growth, skin, vision, immunity, heart health

Good sources: dried apricots, carrots, mangoes, yellow melons, red/yellow peppers, pumpkin, spinach, squash, strawberries, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watercress

Vitamin C

Essential for: immunity, wound healing, antioxidant properties, aiding iron absorption

Good sources: berries, broccoli, cabbage, citrus fruits, cauliflower, currants, green vegetables, guava, kiwi fruit, lettuce, mangoes, parsley, peas, peppers, pineapple, potatoes, tomatoes

Vitamin D

Essential for: healthy bones

Good sources: fortified foods such as breakfast cereals, margarines, soya milk, sunlight on the skin helps the body to manufacture its own vitamin D

Vitamin E

Essential for: antioxidant properties, heart and blood vessel protection, skin immunity, cancer fighting

Good sources: avocado, brazil nuts, broccoli, cashew nuts, leafy green vegetables, olive oil, peanuts, sunflower oil, spinach, sweet potatoes, walnuts, watercress

Vitamin K

Essential for: blood clotting, energy storage, liver function

Good sources: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, green leafy vegetables, soya beans, spinach, strawberries, whole grains

MINERALS

Calcium

Essential for: bone formation, function of the heart, muscles and nerves

Good sources: almonds, apples, brazil nuts, broccoli, chickpeas, figs, fortified soya milk, green leafy vegetables, okra, parsley, quinoa, soya beans, swede, tofu, watercress

Chromium

Essential for: enabling the body to use glucose and maintain blood sugar levels

Good sources: beans, yeast, nuts, whole grains

Copper

Essential for: respiration, nervous system, antioxidant properties, bone formation

Good sources: almonds, avocados, cauliflower, legumes, green leafy vegetables, nuts, whole grains

Iodine

Essential for: normal functioning of the thyroid gland which controls metabolism

Good sources: green leafy vegetables, iodised salt, pears, seaweed, water cress, wild rice

Iron

Essential for: red blood cells, preventing anaemia

Good sources: apricots, beans, cabbage, dark green leafy vegetables, dates, legumes, nuts, parsley, prunes, pulses, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, raisins, sesame seeds, spinach, tofu, wheatgerm, wholemeal bread

Magnesium

Essential for: energy production, growth and repair, sleep, muscle relaxation

Good sources: almonds, bananas, brazil nuts, broccoli, brown rice, cashew nuts, dark green leafy vegetables, peas, pine nuts, prunes, quinoa, sesame seeds, soya beans, sunflower seeds, wheatgerm, whole grains

Manganese

Essential for: nervous system, sex hormone production, blood sugar regulation, skeletal development

Good sources: green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, pineapple, most seeds, tea, whole grains

Phosphorous

Essential for: bones, teeth, metabolising carbohydrates, heart contraction, kidney function

Good sources: broccoli, legumes, nuts, quinoa, whole grains

Potassium

Essential for: normal cell function, nerves, blood pressure control

Good sources: bananas, fruit (dried, fresh, juice), nuts, quinoa, raw vegetables, seaweed, soya beans, spinach, sunflower seeds, tomatoes, wholemeal bread

Selenium

Essential for: antioxidant properties, protecting against heart disease, thyroid function

Good sources: avocados, brazil nuts, lentils, mushrooms, potatoes, sesame and sunflower seeds, walnuts, whole grains

Sodium

Essential for: nerve transmission, maintaining body fluids

Good sources: present in most foods

Zinc

Essential for: growth, hormone function, male fertility, liver function, immunity, taste, protein digestion

Good sources: almonds, brown rice, seaweed, lentils, oats, pine nuts, pumpkin, sesame & sunflower seeds, wheatgerm, whole grains, wholemeal bread ...hide

10 things that vegans get used to hearing

It must be so difficult being a vegan!
But what on earth do you eat?
Chef says he can do you a plate of vegetables...
Oh, the mushroom soup’s all right madam. It’s only got a bit of chicken stock in it.
I’m a vegetarian. I only eat fish.
But if we didn't breed these animals to eat them they’d be extinct.
What do you fancy? I think they do salad here...
But sheep need to have their coats sheared ... don’t they?
I don’t suppose you can eat out, being a vegan.
If you don’t milk a cow it will die!
Mmmm, you look healthy ... for a vegan!

VEGAN CUISINE