Just like trusted friends, certain foods have become mainstays when we need a morale boost. Whether they are childhood favourites, party snacks, or traditional household staples, most ‘comfort foods’ seemed inaccessible to those living a plant-based lifestyle.
What was once inaccessible to vegans who were often unable to revel in their most beloved foods, is now easier than ever as almost every traditional comfort food has a vegan version.
“Need to drown your sorrows in ice cream? Try dairy free ice cream made from coconut milk, cashews, maple syrup and any fruit or vegetable you have in mind,” says Candice Hutchings, the Edgy Veg, who will be among the guest speakers at Veg Food Fest. “It tastes just as great, if not better, and has all the usual comforting properties.”
Meatless wings, veggie burgers, brownies, and vegetarian pizza (made with no-dairy, vegan cheese) and BLT sandwiches (with the ‘B’ comprised of tempeh bacon) are examples of all the go-to-grub that is tasty, comfortable and on the vegan menu for when you need something simple and familiar.
“Comfort food doesn’t have to be high-calorie, low-nutrition junk. There are healthy alternatives for all the basics, such as french fries and chips made from sweet potatoes, avocados, zucchini, kale and seaweed,” adds Hutchings.
Baked goods have also long been recognized as high on the comfort food chain, and there is a burgeoning marketplace for pies, cakes and breads made with no eggs or milk.
Toronto Veg Food Fest, North America’s premier vegan food festival, is coming up September 9-11; a weekend-long, free-admission celebration of the best the vegan world has to offer, hosted at Harbourfront Centre in Toronto.
