As well as being Dry January, the first month of the year is also Veganuary, where people all over the world try ditching the meat and dairy for four weeks to see how they fare when following a vegan diet.
Last year, more than half a million people were inspired by the annual campaign to give it a go, discovering the many and varied delights of vegan food and produce.
A common misconception among those who’ve never tried being vegan before is that dietary options are limited and that important nutrients are missing from the plate, but this actually couldn’t be further from the truth and you may well find that your diet becomes even more varied and nutritious than it was before!
Where dating is concerned, Veganuary represents an amazing opportunity to try something new, pick up some new skills and spend quality time with someone, exploring a whole new world of food!
What’s great about this particular campaign is that restaurants and other such establishments really do get behind it and put all sorts of interesting delights on the menu – which is always fantastic for foodies looking for new date ideas!
But, as much fun as it is going out for dinner and finding new hotspots to frequent, there’s a huge amount to be said for staying in and cooking together, working out delicious recipes and getting to know each other in a really fun way.
So, with that in mind, here are a few vegan recipes just in time for Veganuary (or, indeed, the rest of the year) to help you get going with your vegan ambitions right away.
Starter
Get the evening off to a great start with this delicious-sounding recipe for sweet potato tikki, which was traditionally cooked in India as a tasty little snack. They’re made with sweet potato so they’re lovely and light – ideal as the perfect starter!
And who doesn’t love a spring roll? They’re light, fresh and have a very satisfying crunch when fried to perfection… and you can learn a new skill at the same time, working with very thin pastry and learning how to stuff it with filling, and how to roll, seal and deep-fry it. Fantastic!
Main course
If you’re looking for something relatively simple so you can enjoy the cooking process and still have plenty of time for each other as you food prep, what about this vegan shepherd’s pie?
It features some delicious ingredients, including porcini mushrooms and butternut squash, and the end result should be perfect for a cosy night in together. If you think you’ll miss the mince, you could always throw some quinoa in there as well, which has a very meaty texture when cooked.
Or for something a little different, what about whipping up some miso aubergines? This is a really easy recipe to put together so would be a great choice for anyone out there not particularly confident in their abilities as a chef but who still wants to cook more vegan food at home.
Pudding
A little raspberry sorbet is sure to go down a treat on date night – and it’s very pretty into the bargain! All you need is some granulated sugar, raspberries and a lemon as your ingredients and a food processor to whizz everything up in, then away you go! Enjoy on its own or use it to complement some vegan chocolate pudding.
But for a show-stopping end to the evening, what about trying your hand at this whole roast pineapple in spiced caramel. Apparently, you need to make sure that your pineapple is ripe and golden on the outside (rather than green) – and it really does look incredibly mouthwatering and sumptuous… ideal for vegan date night!
Of course, these are just a few ideas and you’re sure to have kitchen inspiration of your own over the next few weeks. We’d love to hear how all your cooking dates go, so get in touch to let us know.
And, of course, if you need the guidance of an elite dating service to help you find love in 2022 and beyond, don’t forget that the team here at Select Personal Introductions are always happy to chat!