The variety of plant foods available to us today is astounding. Some of them are listed below.

Many of these are familiar foods that we know and love, but if you see something you’ve never tried before, why not pick some up the next time you’re at the supermarket and see what you can create with it? You never know - you might come up with a new favourite dish!

(If you think this page looks a little half finished, you’d be right! Check back soon - I’m in the process of updating it).

Agave: 

Agave syrup is a sweetner that is used in the same way you would use honey or maple syrup. It is slightly sweeter than honey and can be bought in dark, raw, amber or light varieties. Because it is mostly fructose, it has a naturally low GI. It contains iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium. Great for use in vegan recipes instead of honey or to add to tea or other hot beverages. 

Almonds:

Almonds are high in vitamin E and good fats that help to lower LDL cholesterol. They are great eaten on their own as a snack, or toasted. They can also be used to make almond milk by blending with water, almond butter or various cakes and desserts. Also a good addition to morning cereal.

Apples:

The apple is one of the most popular fruits around and has long been associated with knowledge and learning. They can be eaten on their own, making a handy and portable snack, sliced or diced as an addition to salads, desserts or stews or made into jam or jelly. Apples have a high water content and are good for digestion. 

Apricots:

Apricots are commonly available either dried or fresh and make a wonderful addition to many sweet and savoury dishes. They are high in beta-carotene and potassium. Try adding chopped dried apricots to your morning cereal or fresh apricots to couscous or salads. 

Artichoke:

Artichokes are an edible variety of thistle, originally from the Mediterranean. You can buy them whole, as pictured, or just the hearts which often come submerged in oil in jars. The ‘leaves’, stem and the hearts can be eaten. Try adding artichoke hearts to pizza toppings or steaming the vegetable whole and dipping the leaves in lemon juice or olive oil. 

Asparagus:

Asparagus comes in purple, green and white varieties and has a particularly short growing season. It’s a good source of folic acid, potassium and dietary fibre. Steaming, boiling and grilling are common ways to prepare asparagus. Make sure to snap the tough, woody stems off first - the stem will break naturally in the right spot when you bend it in half. 

Aubergine:

Otherwise known as Eggplant this versatile nightshade vegetable (which is actually a very large berry!) comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, most commonly large oval shaped. It’s also available in different colours - green, purple and white being popular examples. It can be steamed, stuffed, grilled, fried, boiled or baked and features in a number of Middle Eastern dishes in place of meat. 

Avocado:

Technically a fruit, the avocado has a rich creamy flesh that complements a wide range of dishes including salads, guacamole, desserts and smoothies. It has a high fat content and is a good source of vitamins B, E and K. It also has the highest fibre content of any fruit and is very good for the digestive system. Try adding avocado to your smoothies, sliced on salads or use it as a spread for sandwiches and wraps. 

Bananas:

 

Beans:

Beetroot:

Blackberries:

Blueberries:

Bok Choy:

Brazil Nuts:

Broccoli:

Bulgar:

Cabbage:

Capsicum:

Cashew Nuts:

Carrots:

Cauliflower: 

Celery:

Cherries:

Chilli:

Chickpeas:

Cacao:

Coconut:

Couscous:

Cranberries:

Cucumber:

Dates:

Dragon fruit:

Figs:

Garlic:

Ginger:

Green Beans:

Grapefruit:

Kale:

Kiwifruit:

Leaks:

Lemons:

Lentils:

Lettuce:

Limes:

Mango:

Miso:

Mushrooms:

Nectarines:

Nori:

Nutritional Yeast:

Okra:

Olives:

Onions:

Oranges:

Parsley:

Parsnip:

Peanuts: 

Pear:

Peppers:

Persimmon:

Plum:

Potatoes:

Pumpkin:

Quince:

Quinoa:

Rice: 

Rhubarb:

Rocket:

Sesame seeds:

Spinach:

Sprouts:

Squash:

Strawberries:

Sunflower seeds:

Swiss chard:

Tahini:

Tamari:

Tempeh:

Tofu:

Tomatoes:

Turnips:

TVP: 

Walnuts:

Zucchini: