Veganism is growing in popularity by the day.
According to The Vegan Society, the number of vegans in the UK quadrupled between 2014 and 2019…
- 2020 became the year that every one of the top UK supermarkets introduced their own vegan range of food
- Vegan food orders on Deliveroo increased by 115% between November 2019 and November 2020
- And more than a quarter of evening meals in the UK are vegan or vegetarian.1
The stats just keep on coming and continue to show that the appetite for switching to a vegan diet appears to be showing no sign of letting up anytime soon.
In fact, it’s predicted that vegans and vegetarians will make up a quarter of the UK population by 2025.
While the meat-free market is estimated to grow from £559million in 2016 to £658million in 20212
What do vegans eat?
Well, as the stat immediately above indicates, vegans don’t eat any food that comes from animals, such as meat, dairy products and eggs. But they do eat plants and food that’s made from plants.3
What vegans DO EAT4
- Fruit and veg
- Nuts and seeds
- Dairy alternatives, such as soy, almond and coconut milk
- Legumes, e.g. peas, lentils and beans
- Vegetable oils
- Bread, rice and pasta
What vegans DON’T EAT
- Beef, pork, lamb, and other red meat
- Chicken, duck, and other poultry
- Fish and shellfish
- Eggs
- Mayonnaise (because it’s made from egg yolks)
- Dairy products, e.g. cream, cheese, butter milk
- Honey
Pate is typically made from animals, usually ground cow, pig, liver or fish, so is one of the foods that can’t be eaten on a vegan diet.5 We say ‘typically’ because it’s also possible to have vegan pate that’s not made from animal products and can therefore be enjoyed by vegans.
The benefits of eating vegan pate
Well, if you’re vegan and you happen to love pate, then one of the main, and most obvious, benefits is that you still get to eat it!
Secondly, there are some health benefits to eating vegan pate, depending on what it’s been made from or what you’ve chosen to make it with (if you’re making it yourself, that is).
For instance, if you were to whip up a pate, using cannellini beans, walnuts, fresh herbs and mushrooms, then you could be getting these nutrients:6
- Protein, calcium, iron, selenium, zinc and Omega 3 from the walnuts
- Calcium, protein and copper from the beans
- Iron, calcium and Vitamin B6 from the herbs
- Vitamin D, choline and selenium from the mushrooms
How to make your own vegan mushroom pate
Like the idea of rustling up your own vegan pate? Then give this vegan mushroom pate recipe a whirl:7
Ingredients
- 2 cups (200g) chopped mushrooms
- 1 onion
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari for gluten free
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 1/2 tsp dried sage
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 cup (60g) walnuts
- Water (for blending)
Method
- Dice the onions, finely chop the garlic and chop the mushrooms.
- In a frying pan, heat the olive oil and then add the onions and fry for a couple of minutes until they start to turn translucent.
- Add the garlic, mushrooms, pepper and herbs.
- Continue to fry until the mushrooms have shrunk down and their liquid has evaporated. If the mushrooms are a bit dry, add a splash of water.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the soy or tamari sauce.
- In another pan, toast the walnuts over a medium high heat until they’re golden brown. Stir frequently.
- When the nuts and mushrooms have cooled down enough, combine them in a blender. Blend whilst gradually adding a splash of water until you have a spreadable texture. (The amount of water you need will vary, so start off slowly. If you have a high-speed blender, you may not need to add any).
- Add salt to taste and blend again before serving.
Like the idea of trying another vegan recipe? Try this…’Easy DIY Vegan Cheese Spread.’
Last updated: 30 November 2020
Sources
1 https://www.vegansociety.com/news/media/statistics
2 https://www.vegansociety.com/news/media/statistics
3 https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/the-vegan-diet/
4 https://www.webmd.com/diet/vegan-diet-overview#1
5 https://www.peta.org/living/food/vegan-pate-french-recipe/
6 https://www.thevegannutritionist.co.uk/bean-walnut-pate-vegan
7 https://veganonboard.com/vegan-mushroom-pate-recipe/
