Monday 21-01-2019 - 11:06

Across the UK more and more people are going vegan, cutting out all animal products from their diets and lives. People want to reduce animal cruelty and at the same time have a healthier body to live in and a healthier planet to live on! Whatever reason motivates you, Veganuary is a great way to have a go at a vegan lifestyle.

To support this nationwide event,Central have been highlighting ways that they can help you maintain a vegan lifestyle - not only this month, but every month so that you can find vegan options for breakfast, lunch and dinner in your Students’ Union supermarket throughout the year.

OFFERS
This month all Nak’d Bars are only 65p! It’s an affordable and healthy snack to munch with lunch or give you that essay energy boost.

Suma Products
One of our suppliers at Central is the worker’s co-operative Suma. Through Suma we stock a variety of ethically sourced and produced beans and pulses. They’re a great way to add extra protein and nutrition to vegan meals and you can find these - along with our rice and pasta (also vegan!) -opposite the sandwich fridge. Some of you may not be sure how to incorporate many of these lesser-known but versatile ingredients into your cooking, so we’ve put together a quick guide on how to prepare them.

COUS-COUS
This simple grain is a staple of many diets around the world and couldn’t be easier to prepare. Pour a portion of couscous into a bowl; pour in enough boiling water to just cover the surface; cover the bowl and wait for around 10 minutes. Then take a fork and fluff it up, and its ready to mixed and seasoned! Try adding a healthy drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper as a simple base for stronger flavoured foods, or jazz it up a little with sliced olives and peas as the basis for a salad.

CHICKPEAS
Dried chickpeas need to be rehydrated before they can be cooked (or you can skip all that by buying them in a can!). One method is to add the beans to a large pot, cover in several inches of water and bring them to a covered boil. Boil them for 5 minutes and then leave to soak for an hour. After this, your chickpeas will be ready for cooking. Chickpeas need around 1 ½ to 2 hours to cook. Again, cover them in several inches of water, but after boiling turn the heat down low and leave to simmer. If you want soft, mushy chickpeas to whip into a tasty bowl of homemade hummus, leave the lid on. Simmering with the lid off will give you firmer peas - perfect to lob into a salad or chilli!

LENTILS
The gentle lentil is a great way to add protein and carbs to a vegan dish, as well as calcium, phosphorus, iron and B vitamins. Red lentils can form the basis of a hearty soup, or you can Dahl it up to 11, pump in spices and use them as a classic Indian side dish. Green lentils are used in a variety of salad dishes, as well as meat free stuffing. Both just need simmering in boiling water until soft. Green Lentils take around 45-60 minutes to get just right, with red lentils clocking in at 15-20. Up your game by simmering them in veg stock to pump them full of flavour.

SPLIT PEAS
These little fellas can be cooked in much the same way as lentils, again being the base for classic Afghan twists on the Dahl, along with spicy soups. They’re a little fussier than lentils, needing a good few hours to soften up and give out their protein and high fibre goodness.

BEANS
The humble legume, much maligned by playground rhymes, can be a stalwart part of any meat free dish. Kidney beans, a familiar favourite, need a little care when prepared as they contain toxins which need to be removed before cooking. First they need to be soaked overnight in cold water, then washed and boiled for a minimum of 10 minutes to get rid of their toxin coating. After that they’re ready to be simmered in your pot and flavour of choice. Blackeye beans are another fussy but flavourful food. Bring them to the boil for 5-10 minutes and then leave to soak overnight. After this they can be simmered for an hour or two to fill your meal with lovely fibre and potassium. Harricot beans (also known as Navy beans) are full of fibre and have a mild flavour and buttery texture. This makes them ideal for soaking up strong flavours in chillies, casseroles, soups and stews. They will need to soak overnight in cold water, and then washed before cooking for 45-60 minutes. If you don’t have time for soaking try mixing it up with some Mung beans. They’re rich in potassium, fibre and magnesium. Simply cover in water, boil and then simmer for 30-45 minutes in your stew, soup or curry of choice!

NEW PRODUCTS
Throughout this year Central have been introducing more and more vegan products into their range. Need a non-dairy nibble? Their Hummus Chip range is completely vegan friendly! They've also brought in a selection of dairy-free cheese alternatives, such as Brute Island shredded mozzarella style “Sheese” and KoKo coconut based “cheddar” and “soft cheese” spread. They are also stocking a wide selection of milk alternatives: Oat, Almond, Coconut and Hazelnut, and new this year the ever-elusive Soya for Professionals and for you coffee lovers. Need a quick meal between a late lecture and hitting the town? Central have introduced vegan sausage and beans, and vegan meatballs in a can!

GUILT FREE GULPING
Some beers and ciders can surprisingly use animal products during their production process. Central have compiled a handy list of the beers and ciders we stock that are completely vegan friendly!
• Beck’s Blue
• Heineken
• Carlsberg
• Amstel
• Peroni
• Budweiser
• Corona
• Old Rosie
• Bulmers
• Stella Artois
• Sam Smiths Chocolate Stout and Pale
• Dunkerton’s Organic Cider

If you have any suggestions for more vegan friendly lines they can start stocking in store, please don’t hesitate pop something in their suggestion box (next to the card carousel). Happy Veganuary!