Niamh is a UK university student who has embraced veganism for almost seven years. With a deep passion for cooking and exploring new flavors, she recently launched an Instagram account dedicated to sharing her love for food through innovative recipes and culinary experimentation.
Meatless Movement recently had the opportunity to chat with her.
If you’re seeking inspiration to elevate your culinary repertoire, look no further than her delightful creations!
Tell us more about yourself, please
Where would I be without chickpeas? Versatile, and high in protein!
Niamh 🥑
Hello! my name is Niamh and I am a medical student at Lancaster university.
I have been vegan for 7 years now and veggie since i was 8 years old. I absolutely love cooking, trying new recipes and trying to get my friends and family to try my food as well! Since i started my degree, my love of food has only grown, and i recently started @plantbased.niamh as a way to share my love with even more people!
i first turned vegetarian when i was 8 as i loved animals and did not want to hurt them, let alone eat them. Then when i was 14, i became vegan. My dad went vegan first and suggested that we “try it for a week” as a family. I used to have bad acne, and i found that by cutting out milk, it almost disappeared!
I later found out i was lactose intolerant through accidentally being served full dairy cheesecake. As i educated myself more on dairy and egg farms, it only felt right for me to stay vegan!
Have there been any interesting stories during this period?
i think the most entertaining thing about being vegan is telling people that snacks like Oreos, starbursts and skittles are all plant based! i love seeing people’s surprise and disbelief. It is also entertaining when someone says “i’ve never tried vegan food” and i ask them how they’ve never tried potatoes and veggies before.
What difficulties arise when seeking vegan food options?
Initially, it was hard to eat out with friends and find vegan food in restaurants, i would often make do with some chips and other sides, as i would try to “fit in” and not be “inconvenient”. However, as i’ve gotten older, i care less about fitting in and have instead surrounded myself with more caring people who accommodate for me, as i would do the same for anyone else with a dietary requirement. It has helped that a lot of restaurants have vegan options nowadays too. Even if it is just a vegan burger or a tomato pasta, it is nice to be able to have an option!
Personally, I love being vegan. I think that it makes me more compassionate and helps me to build empathy with animals and humans alike. this is especially beneficial as I am training to be a doctor! I think by restricting my diet, it also makes me so much more grateful for the foods that i do eat, and helps me to live with more gratitude and humility.
How to encourage non-vegans/non-vegetarians to explore meatless options?
I don’t know how to describe this, other than delicious!! 😋
Niamh 🥑
Honestly, if you don’t try it, you’re missing out! Some of the tastiest dishes I’ve ever had have been vegan (non-biased of course). As well, i think it is important to recognise it’s still food. And if you view it as food and not specifically “plant-based” or “vegan” it makes it a lot less intimidating. Another thing i would say also, is don’t expect it to taste exactly the same as meat. It doesn’t. However it can still be delicious non the less!
I would recommend learning how to properly cook tofu. It’s one of those ingredients that if you don’t know how to cook it, it tastes awful, but once you master it, it’s beyond delicious!For eating out, I would try to support local vegan restaurants and businesses as they often have the best food going!
I’d also recommend Wagamama’s for those of you who enjoy eating out with your non-vegan friends! A lot of their menu is plant-based and it’s all delicious!
What are the Common Misconceptions Surrounding Veganism?
Who says vegans don’t eat well?
Niamh 🥑
I think the biggest misconception that i see is that we get no protein, which is completely not true at all. There are a lot of tasty and delicious sources of protein, like beans, tofu, chickpeas, and also lots of fruit and veggies are protein packed too!
Another misconception is that we are all “preachy” and will shame you for not eating plant-based. This is not true! We actually get a lot more shame from meat eaters than the other way round. Some people may be preachy, but it is often a minority who just happen to shout the loudest. Personally, i think that it’s everyone’s decision to eat the diet they want to, so i don’t judge no matter what you eat!
Make sure to try lots of different alternatives as just because you don’t like one, it doesn’t mean that you won’t like another! It’s also okay to transition slowly, even doing a little bit makes a big impact eventually!
Thank you so much to the meatless movement helping to encourage a more plant-based society, and for allowing me to tell my experiences of being vegan and vegetarian!
Niamh 🥑
Funky, fresh, vegan 🫠
📍 Lancaster, UK
Food, recipes and more! 😊
DM/email for collaboration and business enquiries! 🫶
all images courtesy of Niamh 🥑