We all know it’s important to eat our vegetables. In fact, plants should make up the bulk of our diets, even if we also eat meat. Have a look through the Centr recipes and you’ll find them bursting with all kinds of fresh, vibrant vegetables full of nutrients.
But what if you can’t get hold of the vegetable featured in our recipe? Maybe they’re not in season or not readily available in your local grocery store. Maybe you have different veg in the crisper drawer you need to use up. Or else you just plain don’t like the ingredients we chose (we get it, eggplant isn’t for everyone).
So you don’t have to skip any of our wonderful recipes, we’ve cultivated a helpful list of easy switches you can make to adapt our meal plans to suit your preference and the fresh vegetables you have on hand.
Building a solid base
Onions are the basis of many recipes, especially stocks and stews. If you can’t stand the taste of them, try using shallots or the whites of spring onions/scallions as your base instead. You can even use celery or leeks. For a FODMAP diet, the spice asafoetida is a great option for the same aromatic and acrid quality.
How to herb like a pro
Unless you’ve got a huge kitchen garden in the backyard, chances are you won’t always have the right fresh herbs available. Or maybe you’ve already got a big bunch of one kind when a recipe calls for another. These are some easy swaps you can make in a pinch.
- Basil – oregano, parsley or thyme
- Bay Leaf – thyme
- Chives – scallions (spring onions) or leek
- Dill – tarragon
- Oregano – basil or thyme
- Parsley – chervil
- Rosemary – thyme or tarragon
- Sage – rosemary
- Thyme – basil, oregano, marjoram
- Thai basil – Italian basil
- Cilantro (coriander) – scallions (spring onions) or parsley
Putting your plants into action
Need inspiration? Here are some practical veg swaps to get you started.
- Brassicas – the family of veg that includes brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale and cabbage – can often be substituted for one another. For example, try making our spicy Chilli Soy Brussels Sprouts & Tofu with broccolini (long-stem broccoli) instead.
- Root vegetables are another interchangeable group. If you don’t have the sweet potato for Centr’s Vegan Shepherd’s Pie, you can make a blend of mashed root veg, such as potato, squash (pumpkin), carrot and parsnip.
- Are you a kale lover? Feel free to sub it in for recipes that call for cavolo nero or swiss chard (silverbeet), such as the Salmon Frittata with Silverbeet. You can even slip kale into recipes that call for baby spinach, like Gigantes with Tomatoes and Spinach.
- No love for mushrooms? No problem! Your ideal substitute will depend on what you’re cooking. For the Stuffed Mushrooms, a bell pepper (capsicum) or zucchini will work equally well. If you’re looking for a meaty ‘bulk’, like in Dan's Sweet Potato Vegetarian Lasagne, you might like to try eggplant - just remember it may take longer to cook, depending on the dish.
- If you don’t have – or like – cauliflower for a Chickpea & Cauliflower Curry, never fear. Curries are the absolute best go-to dish for using whatever vegetables you have in the crisper drawer. Green beans, squash (pumpkin), mushroom, zucchini or broccoli? Throw it in. You can even substitute with cabbage, if that’s what you’ve got.
Once you start cooking with Centr, you'll become an expert at adapting recipes to make the most of the fresh and healthy ingredients you have available.
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