4 tips to greattasting vegetablebased dishes

If your go-to vegetable cooking method involves boiling water, and the thought of eating a meat-free meal has you thinking it will be a tasteless affair, try these tips.

Eat the freshest fruit and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables are at their best when eaten fresh, which means eating seasonally. As a gardener, it requires careful planning, so you have a continuous supply and variety throughout the year.

Treat your vegetables like meat to get umami

A big reason meat dishes taste satisfying to the palate is because of their savoury flavour, known as umami. It's naturally high in vegetables such as mushrooms and tomatoes.

Grilling vegetables in the oven or on the barbecue until the outside starts to caramalise, or smoking them, is an easy way to add umami.

Have a good selection of different oils

The best oils are lightly processed. Oils add great flavour, so having a range of options gives you more versatility.

Good low-or-no-heat oils: extra virgin olive, extra virgin avocado, sesame, hemp Good high-heat oils: grapeseed, pressed avocado, safflower, coconut

Get the season(ings)

A little touch of the right condiment adds a delicious flavour and depth to dishes.

Spices: garlic (crushed or powder), ginger, curry, allspice, paprika, cumin, turmeric, garam masala, five-spice, chilli, red pepper Herbs (fresh and dried): basil, dill, parsley, thyme, rosemary, bay, sage Sauces: soy, sweet chilli, sriracha