So, we’ve heard through the grapevine that you guys are going vegan on us? To be honest, we get it, there are so many tasty vegan dishes out there it’s hard not to swap teams – even us, a chicken restaurant, have vegan alternatives! That’s right, you’re not going crazy, a restaurant in Milton Keynes known for its delicious CHICKEN wings has vegan wings on its menu. Of course, we couldn’t have you vegan hens and, umm, the male version of a chicken, going hungry now, could we!
Now, if you’re new to the vegan world, then you may be in panic mode thinking about what you can eat for tea. Well, say goodbye to cheese, pesto, and chicken wings… or so you thought! Let’s end the chit chat and dive into our nest for some delicious vegan dinner ideas.
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Missing Chicken? Here Are Some Vegan Dinner Ideas
Surprise, surprise, there is an alternative to pretty much everything – even meals that predominantly contain eggs, like omelettes! Although it may take a while to get your head around the whole vegan thing, once you have your herb draw and a load of tofu in the fridge, it’s pretty easy to cook some tasty meals. And, if you can’t be bothered to cook, then we have your back! You can find falafel wraps, vegan chicken wings and a host of vegan sides when dining at our restaurant.
We know what you’re thinking, enough faffing and show me that damn food! We hear you, so here it is:
Vegan Meat Alternatives
When it comes to swapping out your meat with vegan meat alternatives, there are various types you can choose from. Do you love the taste of meat but not the thought of it? Or have you gone all out and said goodbye to anything that replicates an animal? Luckily, there is now a range of meat alternatives for you to choose from, including plant-based solutions and natural foods.
Plant-Based Chicken
Now, hear us out – plant-based chicken may sound like a hoax, but it’s a legit thing that can be super tasty, especially when covered in our delicious buffalo or BBQ sauce. This is where it gets a bit confusing, because there is a difference between plant-based chicken and vegan chicken. Let’s run through this real quick:
- Vegan Chicken – this is fake chicken made out of corn and an abundance of flavours, which is what is served at our sports bar in Milton Keynes. The benefit of corn chicken is that it replicates meat in terms of texture and taste, giving you the perfect illusion.
- Plant-Based Chicken – a plant-based substitute for any meat is usually made from tofu and other natural foods, but it often means that the chicken has a completely different taste and texture. This type of meat alternative is often best for burgers, not chicken!
Other than chicken wings, are there any other dishes with plant-based chicken? Well, of course there are! Here are our favourite homemade recipes with vegan chicken:
Natural Alternatives
Sometimes you’re in the mood for going extra healthy, and there are tons of ways you can introduce new foods into your dishes that aren’t made to replicate meat at all. If you’re looking for some natural alternatives, then you’re in luck because literally anything can be substituted if you try to make it work. Some of our favourite ideas include using cauliflower in curries, using quinoa to pad out salads and of course, using tofu for pretty much anything!
Most of the time, we get our protein and other vitamins from meat and dairy, such as B12, meaning that it is important to find meat alternatives that can give you a boost of natural energy. Even if you don’t fancy cooking up a storm in the kitchen, there are a host of natural seeds and plants that can give you proteins, so be sure to add some of the following into your dishes:
- Tempeh
- Seitan
- Almonds
- Oats
- Broccoli
- Lentils
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Peanuts
For those of you that want to make up some snacks to grab and go during the week, we highly recommend taking a look at Nutriciously for some tasty ideas!
Curry Meat Alternatives
Curries are notorious for having stacks of meat inside, from chicken to lamb and more, which can sometimes make it hard to know what to swap these meats out for. You can throw in a load of seasoned veg for a healthy alternative, but if you fancy something a bit more filling, then we recommend opting for either potatoes, chickpeas or lentils. Love and Lemons has a great guide on how to cook with lentils if you haven’t done so before, because they can be tricky to perfect!
Here are some of our favourite homemade vegan curry dishes:
Vegan Sauces
Oh, here we are again, with another surprise for you! Did you know that a lot of sauces aren’t vegan? Most sauces contain either egg or dairy, so make sure you’re checking the labels before you tuck into your carbonara. There are, however, some delicious recipes for homemade sauces:
Homemade Vegan Pesto
We have our very own homemade vegan pesto at our restaurant, making sure that everyone can enjoy the flavoursome taste of our delicious food. The reason that normal pesto isn’t vegan is because it contains parmesan, but our vegan pesto has nutritional yeast instead, giving you that creamy pesto texture and flavour.
Homemade Vegan Carbonara Sauce
Carbonara sauce is traditionally made from cream and egg, so it’s not exactly vegan friendly, is it! However, there are so many ways in which you can use vegan-friendly products and foods to make a creamy and tasty carbonara sauce. We find the best solution is to use cashews, as they give you a creamy texture without tasting overly nutty. Simply blend your cashews with some soy milk, garlic, paprika and a dash of oil for the perfect carbonara sauce. Want to level up your dish even more? Try cutting mushrooms into slithers, smothering them in garlic and paprika and popping them in the oven to go all crispy – this will resemble crispy bacon. You can even include some of the plant-based or vegan chicken we were on about earlier!
Homemade Vegan Cheesy Sauce
Now, we know what you’re thinking, how on earth can you make vegan cheesy sauce when the main ingredient is cheese?! Well, the answer, my friend, is simple, you simply swap out what you would usually use with plant-based and vegan-friendly alternatives. There are now so many brands out there that produce vegan cheese and milk, making it exceptionally easy for you to enjoy the cheesy and creamy textures you know and love. To make this sauce, all you need is some vegan cheese, dairy-free butter and dairy-free cream to swap out animal products – it’s that easy! Take a look at The Veg Space for a delicious vegan cheesy sauce recipe.
Vegan Side Dishes
If you’re ordering some vegan chicken wings, then you’re probably wondering what sides you can indulge in. Don’t you worry your little feathers off, we have some tasty side dishes that are vegan friendly, as well as some homemade ideas for when you fancy having a night in experimenting with food.
Loaded Fries
Is your mouth drooling yet just at the thought of loaded fries? Well, let us take your idea of the perfect vegan side dish up a notch with our smoky bean chilli fries. If you’re looking to take your fries to the max, then this will undoubtedly have you exploding with flavour! Our chilli is packed with spices, herbs, and so much more to give you a burst of flavour. Looking to personalise your fries? We can also add some vegan cheese on top if you feel fancy.
Potato Skins
Have it as a side or a starter, the choice is yours. These potato skins are stuffed with creamy garlic mushrooms, offering the most flavoursome vegan starter your mouth could ever ask for. Add some vegan cheese if you wish – we won’t judge!
Homemade Garlic Bread
So, you’re at home, and you fancy some garlic bread, but damn, the store-bought one has dairy in it – what do you do? Well, you make it yourself, silly! All garlic bread is, is some tasty bread cooked perfectly with garlic butter and maybe some cheese on top if you are in the mood. But how do you make this at home? Easy – just grab a ciabatta part-baked baguette, pop that in the oven while you combine some vegan butter, garlic, oregano and some vegan cheese if that’s how you like it. Once the baguette is ready, take it out of the oven and cut it in half, pop the buttery goodness on top and put it back in the oven for 5 minutes and boom, cheesy garlic bread – you’re welcome!
Some other homemade side dishes for our vegan friends include:
- Israeli Couscous Salad
- Simple Sautéed Mushrooms
- Roasted Broccoli Sweet Chili Sauce
- Potato Cakes
- Three Bean Wild Rice Salad
- Sesame Garlic Green Beans
- Air Fryer Carrots
You’re Never Tofu-ll For Some Vegan Wings
Now that we have shown you the endless possibilities with vegan food, it’s time we let you fly on your own. Be sure to add tons of spices and herbs to make your dishes taste amazing, and of course, we are here every step of the way if you need some vegan chicken wings to get you through the day.
