Katy Beskow - Vegan Fake-Out: Plant-Based Take-Out Classics for the Ultimate Night in

We all love food delivered straight to our door. Its one of lifes little pleasures, and a great way to try delicacies from around the world, in the comfort of our own homes. Ordering a take-out means you dont have to cook from scratch, and you can relax with friends and family while someone else does the cooking. So why dont we all order one every night of the week? Firstly, take-out food is costly. Convenience never comes cheap, especially when the food is prepared and cooked elsewhere and often driven directly to you. Not only are you paying for the ingredients, chefs and transportation costs, youre paying for packaging, which is likely to be made up of non-recyclable single-use materials.

Even though vegan menu options are becoming increasingly available on restaurant menus, it can often be difficult to feel reassured that there are suitable cross-contamination methods in place, or to be sure that an animal product hasnt been accidentally used in the dish. Im not saying that you should never order in, but before you do, think about the cost savings, reduction in waste, health benefits, reassurance in what youre cooking and satisfaction you will have when you rustle up your favourite restaurant classic, in your own kitchen. In this book, youll find 70 recipes for your favourite weekend treats across five chapters: American, Italian, Indian, Chinese and Middle Eastern. Whether its just for you, or youre cooking for family and friends, theres something in here for everyone. Youll find recipes that take just 15 or 30 minutes to cook, slow cooker recipes that do the hard work for you, and handy one-pot dishes. All of the ingredients used in these recipes are readily available from supermarkets, making it easy for you to get started.

Ive simplified dishes without compromising on taste, and used healthier cooking methods where possible, so you can enjoy tasty food without the fuss. You wont even need any specialist kitchen equipment. Challenge yourself to make the dishes faster than your local restaurant could deliver! I hope you enjoy your time in the kitchen, using these plant-based recipes to create fresher, vegan-friendly versions of your Friday-night favourites. Pour yourself a glass of wine or a cup of tea, pull together the ingredients and have fun cooking up these take-out classics, which are kinder on your purse, better for the environment, kinder to animals, and better for you. Eating in is the new eating out!

Before you reach for that menu, consider all of the benefits of making your own restaurant classics, at home. SAVE TIME Ordering in may seem like the quicker option, but by the time you decide what to eat, order online or on the phone, then wait for the restaurant to make and deliver your food, its likely youll be able to cook something within that time.

Some of the recipes in this book use just one cooking pot, so youll spend even less time washing up! If time really is of the essence, then why not try making some fifteen-minute dishes, such as . SAVE MONEY Convenience never comes cheap, and that certainly applies to the convenience of having dinner cooked and delivered to your door. Cooking your favourite restaurant classics at home is remarkably cheaper, using store cupboard ingredients and readily available fresh ingredients. Save the money that you would have spent on your usual order safely in a money box, then treat yourself to that special something youve always wanted. Need some cheap eats inspiration? Try the . TRUST THE INGREDIENTS So, youve read the menu and cant see any animal ingredients; you hope its vegan-friendly, but how do you ever really know if your dishes have been made without cross-contamination in the kitchen, or if a non-vegan ingredient has accidentally been added? Creating your own versions at home means that you can choose the ingredients yourself, and add what youre happy with.

With peace of mind that your dinner is 100 per cent vegan, it will taste even better without any worries about consuming animal products. For an unexpected vegan treat, cook up to finish. CONTROL THE FAT, SALT AND SUGAR No newsflash required we know that fast food establishments can pack their dishes with huge amounts of fat, salt and sugar, most of which is unnecessary. By cooking your favourite dishes at home, you can control how much you put into your food. When used appropriately and in moderation, these ingredients will take your food from simple to sublime. For healthier alternatives to the classics, try .

LESS PACKAGING Think about how your last delivery was packaged: polystyrene boxes, plastic sauce pots, non-recyclable linings inside cardboard all brought to you in a flimsy plastic carrier bag. Take-out food is often packaged in single-use plastics and even any cardboard packaging is difficult for waste agencies to recycle due to grease staining. By cooking at home, youre cutting out the need for these materials, which are destined for landfill. Do think about recycling or reusing containers and packaging that your store cupboard essentials are purchased in, and where you can, opt for fresh ingredients that have minimal or no packaging. Enjoy these low waste recipes: .

Follow these tips to get the most from your weekend treat, without the need to order in!One of the best things about having food delivered is that the it arrives hot, with no effort required. In each chapter of this book, Ive included a slow cooker recipe, so you can prepare the ingredients earlier in the day, and let the slow cooker do all of the hard work while you get on with better things.

Then you can come home to a delicious, hot meal without having to fork out for takeout! Many of the recipes in this book are suitable for freezing, meaning you can batch cook and freeze them in heatproof containers, then simply defrost and reheat when needed. Freeze in individual portions, in sealable containers, not forgetting to label them with what they are and the date you made them. Its also useful to write these frozen portions into your weekly meal plan, then you wont forget about them sitting in the freezer. Always wanted to try something new without the risk of paying restaurant prices for a dish you wont like? Creating the dish at home is a great way to give it a try, and you can modify it for your personal taste too. Its easy to get stuck in a rut when ordering in, so use this as an opportunity to experience something new. It may well become your new signature dish! Theres nothing like gathering your friends and family around for a meal. Imagine how impressed theyll be to discover that you cooked all of the food! Think about preparing some of the dishes in advance, to save time and effort when your friends turn up, or stick to recipes with quicker cooking times.

Even more fun get friends and family involved in the cooking process! As youve made savings by making the dishes at home, you could even treat your guests to a homemade dessert. Indulge in your regular junk food rituals, whether its enjoying a cold beer, bingeing on Netflix, or eating in your pyjamas! One of the perks of not eating out is that you can create the rules. Make it fun! If ordering in gives you a sense of treating yourself, begin to think of simple cooking as treating yourself. The process of cooking can be very mindful, so enjoy it! Its both reassuring and satisfying to produce dishes of your own for you and friends to enjoy.