Peggy Brusseau - The Contented Vegan

THE CONTENTED VEGAN

THE

CONTENTED

VEGAN

Recipes and philosophy
from a family kitchen

PEGGY BRUSSEAU

AN APOLLO BOOK

www.headofzeus.com

To the power of green and the abundance of nature; with love and gratitude to my three menfolk.

First published in 2021 by Head of Zeus Ltd.

Copyright Peggy Brusseau 2021
Photographs Ian Garlick 2021
Illustrations Tatiana Boyko 2021

The moral right of Peggy Brusseau to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN (HB): 9781838934682
ISBN (E): 9781838934705

Head of Zeus Ltd
58 Hardwick Street
London EC1R 4RG
headofzeus.com

Stay in touch with Peggy and lots of vegan resources at her website, PeggyBrusseau.com

Unless stated otherwise, each recipe is designed to serve 4 people a moderate portion size. There are no super-size dishes included, though there are many that provide enough for second helpings!

Most ingredients are very easy to find, but a few will need you to try a grocer who sells ingredients for cuisines from other world regions. I have called these ethnic or neighbourhood grocers. I use these grocers in my area because they sell unusual and fascinating food items that serve the needs of various religions, immigrant/ethnic communities and world cuisines. The proprietors give helpful advice if I dont know how an item is used and will get stock in for me if I ask I always learn something new!

All preparation times are approximate.

Fresh produce should be thoroughly washed before use.

Bracketed terms are intended for American readers.

Where spoon and cup measures are given, these are standard spoon measures and standard US cups:

1 teaspoon = 5ml
1 tablespoon = 15ml
1 US cup = 240ml

Australian standard tablespoons are 20ml, therefore Australian readers should use 3 teaspoons in place of a tablespoon for measuring small quantities.

Spoon and cup measures are level unless stated otherwise.

Ovens can vary: always refer to the manufacturers instructions.

For the past thirty years I have eaten and prepared only vegan food. During that time I enjoyed two healthy pregnancies followed by periods of breastfeeding and with my husband raised two strong, athletic sons who continue to be vegan. Throughout those years I daily provided bountiful plant-based meals, at very little cost, for family and any friends who happened to drop by. But in the beginning, it wasnt easy.

Back in those far-off days, vegan wasnt a word we used much. To be vegetarian was unusual enough, but to be vegan It sounded pretty eccentric. There wasnt much information available and what was available wasnt always helpful. Recipes were worthy but often dull. Restaurants and even friends needed prior notification of our food preferences before we came for dinner. We were cross-examined by friends, family and sometimes health professionals on the wisdom of our diet: Did we know what we were doing?

In fact, yes. We had to know what we were doing. Not just for our own sakes, but for our growing children. We went out of our way to learn everything we needed to know about vegan nutrition; about the ethical and philosophical arguments in favour of veganism; and, of course, about ways of making vegan food that had meat-eaters salivating.

While at first it felt as if we were swimming against the current, now it seems the tide has turned. A plant-based way of eating is gaining in popularity, and for very good reasons. Eating a vegan diet is not hard work. It does not even feel like giving something up. It feels like letting go of something that has burdened you, so that you can hold on to something that is truly precious. Choosing a plant-based way of eating, even for a short time, gives you a jolt of pure life force. Health, mood and outlook improve. Levels of mental and physical energy increase. And while shifting to a vegan diet is good for you personally, it is even better for our planet.

Eating lower in the food chain takes the pressure off our worlds natural resources. It has a hugely positive effect on some of the most important environmental issues of our time, including tropical deforestation, the survival of indigenous peoples and even climate change. In short, if you care about the future of life on Earth, going vegan is one of the smartest choices you can make.

What a pleasant way to make a difference! Because preparing vegan meals is a delight. Daily contact with food plants is grounding and healing, and the sense of connection with natural abundance is uplifting. A relaxed exploration of the diverse textures, flavours and aromas of the meals you make is a journey into creativity. I would love to share my experiences, knowledge and recipes with you in the coming pages.

Peggy xx

As far back as the so-called hunter-gatherer phase of human existence, plants have provided the day-to-day subsistence that has enabled humankind to come this far. Although the practice of eating a plant-based diet has existed for centuries, the word that currently defines it vegan was devised in Britain in 1944. Its creation has been attributed to Donald Watson, a founder member of the Vegan Society. He said the word vegan was created from the first and last letters of VEGetariAN because the diet grew out of vegetarianism and was seen as its natural conclusion.

While we know a growing number of people are choosing to eat a vegan diet, the reasons why they choose it vary. Generally, though, these fall into four broad categories.

* Environment they realize that eating a plant-based diet will help to reduce the severity of environmental problems

* Vegetarianism they see switching to veganism as a natural progression from their current vegetarian diet

* Health they either want to preserve their good health or have health problems they have heard the vegan diet might help to resolve

* Ethics and animal welfare they see that exploitation of animals is inhumane and they no longer wish to support its practice by eating animal-based foods

Whichever reason first inspires a switch to a plant-based way of eating, after a while people start making connections they hadnt made before. New realizations come to the surface that have their own momentum within each individual. Perhaps this is because veganism is not only a practical decision, but a choice that touches on the inner life of a person as well. People who have transitioned to a plant-based diet report feeling better about themselves as often as they report feeling healthier in themselves.

There is a simplicity about the vegan way of eating that seems to help cast off not just excess pounds and health problems, but habits and patterns that burden the thinking and feeling life, too. This makes sense when you see that the vegan diet is based on food choices that show consideration for other life forms. The vegan diet excludes any foods or products made from the body of an animal. This means the fat, flesh or skin of any animal, fish or bird, as well as their bones, blood, eggs or milk. Many vegans also do not eat honey (see ). Acting from the heart as well as the intellect can have beneficial, even profound consequences for the whole person.