Going vegan? Here’s how to do it
Lisa Stel, founder of the platform Lisa goes Vegan, had been eating vegan long before it became a trend. Nevertheless, she can only encourage the movement and is happy to share some tips for beginner/aspiring vegans.
Do you have any tips for people who want to become vegan?
“Absolutely! Because eating fully plant-based can be a big adjustment for many people, I wouldn’t be quick to recommend going fully vegan overnight. Animal products are so deeply woven into our eating habits. If you have to give all of that up in one go, you make it very difficult for yourself, it can start to feel like a chore and you may give up more quickly. Give yourself time to make changes to your diet step by step; that’s much more enjoyable, easier and the result will probably be more sustainable too. That’s how I started myself: very gradually.”
What do you think of the vegan hype that’s going on now?
“Very good: there’s more discussion, more information, and people are thinking about it more. But sometimes it seems as if it’s all or nothing: either you’re vegan or you’re not. That doesn’t necessarily have to be the case for me. I’m already happy if I encourage people to eat plant-based more often. Or better yet: that people simply think, ‘hey, that’s delicious and oh, it just happens to be vegan too.’”
Where do you get your inspiration from?
“I used to travel a lot and got my inspiration from other countries. The Asian and Italian cuisines in particular are amazing. I travel a little less now, for environmental reasons, but fortunately there’s also plenty to find online. My favorites are The Feed Feed Vegan, Bosh and The Tasty K. They all have delicious recipes, beautiful photos and those hypnotizing videos that show how easy it is.”
Is that also why you wrote your book Vegan Comfort Food?
“Yes, it’s a misconception that as a vegan you can only eat raw vegetables and salads. To show that, I wanted to make a book filled with warm, hearty dishes.”
What are your personal favorites from the book? Which one must everyone try?
“The vegan chicken curry casserole is incredibly delicious. You simply have to try it. The egg salad and chickpea salad are incredibly easy and perfect for birthdays, drinks parties or at work. You can make them ahead of time, but you can also be ready on the spot in ten minutes.
The BBQ Sloppy Joes with coleslaw are made with jackfruit, which, because of its smoky flavor and texture, is somewhat reminiscent of pulled pork. And I once ate the omelet in London; it’s made with chickpea flour. These days, you can also buy that at Albert Heijn. Most of the recipes are designed with that in mind, by the way, so you can simply get everything at AH.”
Photo: Silvia Falcomer
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