#133: Beyond Salad: How to Create Rich, Satisfying Plant-Based Dishes with Jessica in the Kitchen
Discover the easy and relatable way to eat plant-based! Jessica in the Kitchen dishes her best tips for fabulous comfort food that’s familiar and flavorful as she walks you through how to make the most in your kitchen, from your spices and spice drawer, to your pantry staples and shortcuts. Learn the tricks and techniques to make mastering plant-based classics that you can savor a breeze.
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If you think going vegan means eating only salads, think again!
Today we’re excited to bring on Jessica Hylton Leckie a lawyer-turned-food-blogger and the founder of Jessica in the Kitchen, an award-winning vegan recipe platform launched in 2014. Known for her approachable, whole-foods recipes, Jessica helps readers learn more about plant-based living.
We know that one of the biggest barriers to eating more plant-based is the idea that it’s ‘too complicated’ or ‘won’t taste good.’ But Jessica specializes in creating plant-based recipes that appeal to everyone, focusing on familiar flavors and comforting dishes that replicate comfort foods. She believes in making plant-based cooking accessible and enjoyable, using rich seasonings, creative techniques, and satisfying ingredients to convert skeptics. From indulgent dairy-free pastas to hearty, meat-free mains, her recipes prove that plant-based meals can be just as satisfying and flavorful as traditional favorites.
In this episode, Jessica is here to hold our hand through it all! From simple tips to ease into eating more plants, to honoring cultural traditions with food, learn from an expert all the spices and pantry staples (and shortcuts!) that will make your kitchen burst with flavor, and of course, ways to use and store them oh-so efficiently!
What spices are worth investing in? What shortcuts will make cooking from “scratch” a breeze? What go-to meals should you have on the menu if you’re a plant-based beginner (including the recipes that will win over any omnivore!)? What power-house protein might you be overlooking? And maybe the most important question: how do you make the creamiest and most drool-worthy pasta sauce without any dairy? All of these and more Jessica answers in such a practical and accessible way, that you’ll be whipping up a feast in no time and wondering how you ever missed eating any other way!
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
- Jessica shares her focus on comfort foods that are easy and relatable
- How she seamlessly incorporates her Jamaican culture into her plant-based living
- How focusing on one thing at a time can make transitions so much smoother
- Top three go-to meals for plant-based beginners
- Tricks to turn traditional dishes vegan in a way that honors them
- Spices worth investing in and why fresh makes all the difference
- Ideas for spice storage
- Essential pantry staples without overhauling your pantry
- Shortcuts with pre-made sauces and seasoning mixes that make flavorful cooking a breeze
- How to make plants super satiating, and the role of fiber in that
- How prepping first can help with the mental challenge of getting started
- Tips to save time in the kitchen
- Top plant-based proteins that are so versatile and accessible to anyone
- The underrated lentil and the many things you can do with it
- The secret to making a creamy pasta sauce
- Jessica’s top two recipes that will win over any omnivore
- The kitchen tools that Jessica relies on, and how to get by without a bunch of expensive tools
- Tips for transitioning to plant-based without overwhelm, from ways to go slow to swaps
RESOURCES
- JessicaInTheKitchen.com
- Jessica in the Kitchen on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube
- Freezer Cube Molds on Amazon
- Red Lentil Tofu (World of Vegan)
- Breakfast Burritos recipe (coming soon on World of Vegan!)
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LET'S BE FRIENDS!
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