According to data recently released by the Good Food Institute and the Plant Based Foods Association, vegan food sales are growing twice as fast as overall food sales, increasing by 27 percent in 2020, and 43 percent in the last two years. In fact, between 2018 and 2020, plant-based sales increased by 250 percent overall. Additionally, Whole Foods (yes that Whole Foods) released its first plant-based trends report in May 2021 and predicted a rise in vegan foods for kids—yet another indication that consumers want to cut back on the amount of meat and animal products they (and their families) consume. As the demand for plant-based food grows, and traditions like Meatless Monday—the practice of not eating meat on Mondays—pick up steam, more chefs and culinary professionals are cooking meals made exclusively with vegan and vegetarian ingredients. We consulted a team of chefs and food experts (who also happen to be Meatless Monday Culinary Ambassadors) and picked their brains for easy ways you can take your own plant-based meals and snacks to the next level. Keep reading for advice directly from the pros! RELATED: 22 Vegan Soup Recipes Using Your Favorite Seasonal Vegetables To do it right, Churchill suggests you soak your beans in at least quadruple the amount of water, which translates to 4 cups of water per one cup of beans. “Give them a good rinse under cold running water, then add them to a pot with fresh water. Whenever you’re ready to cook them, look over the beans and remove any that look broken or off-color,” he adds. “Use at least double the volume of liquid compared to beans (so at least 2 cups of water to every 1 cup of soaked beans) and add lots of salt and any aromatics you like.” For an especially flavorful dish, Churchill loves to toss in peppercorns, leeks, onion, bay leaves, sage, or garlic. “Cook the beans until they feel completely fork tender with no resistance or grittiness. This can take anywhere from one to three hours, so check the beans every so often after the one-hour mark. Then drain, store, and you’re done!” he says. “Serve [the beans] with rice and your favorite sauce for a protein rich meal.” And for pressure cooker/ Instant Pot owners, Churchill notes the cooking process is especially easy. “You can simply use the cook function and make your beans according to the instructions,” he shares. RELATED: 5 Delicious Recipes That Start With a Can of Beans RELATED: 9 Smart, Surprising, and So-Helpful Ways to Use Salt RELATED: 10 Healthy Pantry Essentials You Should Always Have on Hand, According to RDs “There are some amazing ‘meaty’ burgers and meatless grounds that would fool even the most fervent meat lover. They seamlessly replace meat in almost any recipe,” Tercero shares. “Plant-based butters, milks, and mayo are also a no-brainer, as they are barely perceptible as different in most dishes. All these products make reducing or eliminating animals from our diet much easier than in the past.” RELATED: 10 Major Mistakes You’re Making That Are Causing Food Waste
