Time to take stock of veges
THERE is no other food source that is so unreservedly good for people and versatile — they can be eaten raw, roasted, braised, blended, stirfried, barbecued, steamed, mashed and baked — as vegetables, Nadia Lim says.
‘‘There are so many possibilities in the vegetable world that we will forever be discovering new varieties and ways with them.’’
Lim, who studied nutrition at the University of Otago and rose to fame through television cooking programme Masterchef, has showcased this versatility in her latest cookbook, Vegful, which is entirely vegetablefocused.
‘‘I’ve created this book for vegetarians, vegans and omnivores alike. Whichever way we choose to eat, there’s no doubt that eating more vegetables would do all of us good. So instead of a vegetarian/vegan cookbook, I’d more accurately describe it as a vegetable cookbook. Or, a very ‘‘vegful’’ cookbook! One to celebrate beautiful, colourful, bountiful vegetables,’’ Nadia says.
Plantbased eating is rising in popularity, one in 10 Kiwis now identifying themselves as vegetarian or vegan.
‘‘All around the world, people are looking to eat more vegetablebased meals, and
I’ve had that feedback from A LOT of Kiwis, so I figured it was time to do a vegetable cookbook. I’m not vegetarian myself; however, my family and I do love our vegetarian and vegan meals.’’
The book aims to provide inspiration for people who want to incorporate more vegetables into their diet.
‘‘There is no doubt about it that eating more vegetables would do all of us lots of good. It’s the one food source of which we can’t simply eat too much.’’
While Kiwis’ cooking culture has been largely based around meat — most of the time it’s the starting point of a meal — and there are concerns vegetarian food might be somehow ‘‘lacking’’.
Lim says that is not the case but it requires a bit of a change in mindset.
‘‘Once you get used to thinking of vegetables as your starting point, and exploring new varieties, ways and techniques you’ll wonder why vegetables weren’t the star of your main meals all along.’’
She has divided the book into chapters such feasts and sharing, leftovers, hearty salads and there is even a sweets section full of recipes that star vegetables — such as a parsnip, pear, ginger and walnut cake, carrot bliss balls, pumpkin and cinnamon donuts and sweet potato pie.