I hardly EVER follow a recipe word for word… in fact I am incredibly lazy when it comes to cooking! I cut corners, guesstimate most things and just use whatever clean pots and pans I can find lying around in my crazy household!

If this isn’t you - CONGRATULATIONS… you probably have far more skill and patience than me.

The following is a list of a few vege essentials that I have in my kitchen in order to make quick and easy meals (like the haloumi salad pictured above!) with least amount of effort required!

- LEGUMES, a vegetarians’ meat substitute.

This is a big one… I always have a few cans of lentils, chick peas and red kidney beans to add some protein and bulk to meals! Easy way I figure out what bean goes with what; lentils are a beef substitute and chick peas - chicken. Red kidney beans? not really sure! but they are usually great in salads and mexican vege dishes!

- FRESH FRUIT AND VEGE!

I am lucky enough to have a cute little independant fruit and vege shop down the road to me which is 168401701741 X better than coles and woolies! It really does make a difference going to your local markets or finding an indepentant store more likely to care about the quality and freshness of their food than the big food giants! Stock up and remember that lots of different colours are good! i.e all your greens, carrots, fresh tomato, capsicum, onions, corn, pumpkin, mushrooms (my fav!)

- SOY MILK

So good, really is so good? It’s tasty, healthy (has plenty of calcium in it!) and adds to another dairy product that is SO so easy for you to cut out! I am not much of a milk drinker anyways - so I really just use it for tea, coffee and occasionally cereal. But it’s also great for cooking!

- HALOUMI / TOFU / QUORN

My greatest love in life at the moment; haloumi… Oh so salty and yummy when lightly fried to get that golden colour! A great substitute for chicken in a salad or burger, or even as a little hot breakfast treat (mmmm). Tofu - I usually buy the firm marinated kind (sweet chilli) great for stir fries and salads to add some protein and a bit of ‘meatiness’ to the meal!  Quorn products - These aren’t vegan friendly as most of them have egg ingredients… but so delish and easy if you like the texture and taste of meat. I often use them as a bit of a back up if my family decides to have a roast or something a little more ‘meat and 3 vege’… just fry or pop in the oven and boom - vegetarian meat and 3 vege meal! My favourites are the sausages (taste a little like pork sausage), the ‘southern fried chicken’ (great texture and taste!) and my boyfriends favourite is the ‘beef’ style burgers (a bit like a bad quality meat patty - I don’t really like them, but does the job for him!)