These are broad beans that have not matured fully. They have a sweeter flavour are mostly available as a frozen product.
Remove the outer shell of the broad bean to reveal the green bean inside. This makes a delicious, nutritious and pretty addition to a summer salad.
Compared to mature kale, baby kale is more versatile and more tender. The leaves are softer in texture and high in vitamins A, C and K.
Use as an alternative to spinach by adding to curry, stews, and soups or roast in the oven to eat as a tasty snack.
Baby peas or petite-pois as they are often called refer to a particularly young and tender green pea. These peas are smaller and have a sweeter flavour to regular garden peas. They are perfect along side many savoury dishes, or alternatively , a handful mixed in any meal can add a little colour and goodness!
Use baby peas or petite pois in stews and pasta sauces as a way of adding another vegetable to your dish. Baby peas are a delicious addition to a salad.
Baby potatoes are that have been taken from the soil before they are fully grown, because of this baby potatoes have a sweet flavour. Baby potatoes normally have a thin light brown outer skin with a creamy white interior. These potatoes are used globally and in a range of recipes from salads to main meals.
Baby spinach is the term used to describe spinach that has been harvested during a fairly early stage of plant growth, usually between 15-35 days after planting. It is used as a vegetable in salads and included in many dishes. It is known for having a high iron content, along with other leafy green vegetables.
Use baby spinach as a leafy green or steam, boil or fry to add to dishes as 1 of you 5 a day, or use as a side dish.
Bacon flavour rasher crisps are usually made from maize and have a bacon flavour added to them. They are made to resemble a bacon rasher. You can get them in all UK supermarkets under own brand labels or branded items.
Crumble on top of a lasagna or pasta bake to make a crispy ‘bacon’ topping.
A round bread like baked item with a hole in the middle, bagels are a popular lunch item. Widely available with different flavours in all UK supermarkets.
Cut a bagel in half and use as an easy pizza base for a quick dinner, or for children’s lunchboxes.
A baguette is a long thin loaf of bread that originates from France. It is typically eaten as a breakfast loaf but is also enjoyed as an accompaniment to most meals.
Use a baguette in our recipe for French Onion Soup with Cheesey Croutons.
Haricot beans tinned with a sweet tomato sauce, baked beans are able to be eaten cold from the tin or eaten hot.
Served over brown toast, baked beans make for an excellent protein source as well as an easy and cheap meal.
Starchy potato varieties such as Maris Piper, King Edward and Desiree. Other types of potato are available, however these are the most common in supermarkets.
Use the inside of baked potatoes to make an easy and quick mash. Alternatively, sliced baked potatoes and shallow fry for easy and quick homemade chips.
Widely available at a low cost, baking powder is a dry chemical leavening agent that releases carbon dioxide into the dough or batter mixture. It is a white powder that is usually made from bicarbonate of soda and an acid salt.
Not only can baking powder be used for baking, you can use it as a natural cleaner, a breath freshener, a skin exfoliant and much much more!
Baking soda is the same as bicarbonate of soda. It is white powder in fine crystalline form and because it is alkaline, it helps soda breads rise. It is easily accessible in supermarkets.
Clean dirty fruit and veg with baking soda; To clean your fruit, put some baking soda on a damp sponge, scrub your produce and rinse.
Balsamic glaze is an Italian condiment that is a reduction of balsamic vinegar with sugar.
Balsamic glaze can be added to tomato based dishes to add depth of flavour or can drizzled over a salad as a dressing.
This is a type of vinegar that is made from vinegar with grape must. It is high in concentration and rich in flavour. It is traditional to Italy, however it is widely available in UK supermarkets.
Use to make a quick and easy salad dressing – mix with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.
A pale yellow fruit with a thick skin, bananas are grown in countries with a hot climate. They are a popular fruit that is widely available. When they are ripe they are yellow in colour, transitioning from green and get black spots on when they are over ripe.
If your bananas are turning brown, mash them up and use as an egg substitute or to make banana bread. Chopped up and frozen, then blended in a high speed blender, bananas also make a healthy ice cream or smoothie base.
This medium-sized member of the chilli pepper family is also known as the yellow wax pepper or the banana chilli. With a mild, tangy taste, it is often pickled or used raw. Usually bright yellow in colour, these veggies can turn orange or even red as they ripen.
Use as a tasty but smaller alternative to Romano peppers and stuff with lentils for a tasty meal.
These are otherwise known as Echalion shallots, and they are unusual in their shape, as they look like a cross between a shallot and an onion, however they have a milder taste. Often more expensive than onions and shallots, they are not considered a cupboard staple.
Use as a slightly sweeter alternative to a regular white onion.
Natural and organic, this African super fruit is the only fruit in the world that dries on the branch, producing a natural superfood powder. With a delicious sweet and citrusy flavour, baobab supports a wide range of health and beauty benefits.
Add baobab powder to homemade protein bars or energy balls for added nutrition.
This sweet, tangy sauce is widely available. Generally it does not have a hot flavour, however some recipes might require a different type of barbeque sauce, however that should be specified. It is brown in colour.
Barbeque sauce can be used to make pulled ‘pork’ jackfruit as well as a quick and easy salad dressing, dip or glaze for barbeque dishes.
Dried basil refers to basil leaves that have been dried, it has a stronger flavour than fresh basil, and when used as an alternative in recipes that demand fresh basil, a smaller amount is needed than the amount specified. Dried basil is also a perfect all year round alternative to seasonal fresh basil.
Use dried basil in place of fresh basil in recipes. It works particularly well in tomato sauces and Italian inspired dishes.
This is a herb that is easily accessible and can be grown in the UK. Often used to add flavour to dishes, basil is a green coloured leaf and included in Italian cooking.
Blended with olive oil, seasoning and garlic, fresh basil makes a simple and delicious salad dressing.
One of the most common types of rice, this is a widely available type. Used in Asian cooking, basmati rice is white in colour and is one of the long grain varieties.
Rinse basmati rice before cooking to remove the starch, this will make rice fluffier when cooked.
Used in cooking to infuse flavour, bay leaves are removed from a dish before serving. Used in a range of cuisines, bay leaves are a the dried leaves from bay trees.
Bay leaves are great to use as a herb when cooking, but you can also use powdered bay leaves to clean your teeth with, or made into a paste with oil as relief from an insect bite.
Traditionally used in Chinese takeaways, the most common types of bean sprouts come from yellow-capped soy beans and green-capped mug beans. The bean sprouts are white in colour and are available in most supermarkets.
Beansprouts are a great addition to stir fries and can be used raw in salads to add a crunchy bite.
Beef tomatoes (otherwise known as beefsteak tomato) is one of the largest varieties of cultivated tomatoes. Similar in taste to regular vine tomatoes, beef tomatoes are twice, sometimes three times the size of regular tomatoes.
Use beef tomatoes in our recipe for Greek Stuffed Tomatoes and Peppers.
Beer is one of the oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverages in the world. It is the third most popular drink overall after water and tea and is brewed from cereal grains—most commonly from malted barley, though wheat, maize (corn), and rice are also used.
Use beer in batters when cooking dishes such as beer battered tofu.
This is a ground vegetable that is a deep purple in colour and has an earthy flavour. It can be pickled, roasted or eaten raw.
Raw beetroot can be grated and made into an alternative coleslaw. Roasted beetroot can be used as a tasty side dish or as a salad topper.
Beetroot powder is made from the root vegetable beetroot. It very simple is like it says beetroot in powder form.
Use beetroot powder as a natural food dye in baking and other dishes to give it a deep magenta colour.
Beetroot (Beet) Crystals are a naturally sweet tasting ingredient that has been carefully obtained from the juice of freshly pressed beetroots. Beetroot crystals are an instantly soluble product that is made from pure concentrate.
Add beetroot crystals to your meals, smoothies and snacks as an easy way to boost your vitamin, mineral, antioxidant and fibre intake.
Beetroot puree is made from cooked beetroot that is blended with other ingredients. It is used as a component to compliment other elements of a dish.
Use as a natural food colorant or to garnish a dish for extra colour.
Berbere is a spice mixture that usually includeds chilli peppers, garlic, ginger, basil, korarima, rue, ajwain or radhuni, nigella, and fenugreek. It is a key ingredient in the cuisines of Ethiopia and Eritrea.
This is otherwise known as baking soda, and it is white powder is fine crystalline form. It is alkaline and helps soda breads rise, for example, as well as other bakes items. It is easily accessible in supermarkets.
Clean dirty fruit and veg with bicarbonate of soda; To clean your fruit, put some bicarb on a damp sponge, scrub your produce and rinse.
These are small, sweet caramel flavoured biscuits that are free from animal ingredients. You can purchase them in all UK supermarkets.
Can be used to make a great biscuit base for a cheesecake or tart by adding melted vegan butter.
This is a spread that is made by the same company who make the popular Biscoff biscuits. This spread has a caramel flavour to it and is suitable for vegans.
Swirl into chocolate brownie to add a flavour and colour contrast.
Also called black turtle beans, this bean is often found in Latin American cuisine. It has a dense and meaty texture that makes it popular with plant based meals.
N.B Do not confuse them with black-eyes peas or black-eyed beans.
Mashed up, black beans are a great base for making bean burgers due to their robustness and slightly ‘meaty’ texture and appearance.
Simply ordinary garlic that has gone through a high heat, long duration, fermentation process, black garlic has a sweet and syrupy taste with hints of balsamic vinegar or tamarind.
Use black garlic the same as you would regular garlic.
This unpolished whole grain of traditional white rice is native to India and Southeast Asia. With sticky individual grains and a nutty flavour, it is commonly used in both sweet and savoury Asian dishes.
Use black rice instead of white rice if you want a more nutrient rich alternative.
Also known as black lentil, it is one of the most widely consumed lentils in India. These rounded black lentils with a sticky texture and bland, earthy flavours are jam-packed full of nutrients. From soups and stews to curries, breads and side dishes, black gram is an indispensable part of exotic cuisines.
Add to stews, curries, soup etc as a great way to thicken them.
Black lentils, also known as Beluga lentils due to their resemblance to Beluga caviar, have a soft texture and sumptuous, earthy flavour. They are ideal in salads and soups or included with many cooked main meal dishes. Black lentils are both striking to look at as well as are a high antioxidant anthocyanin food.
Use black lentils in soups, stews and other dishes as a way of adding a nutritious and healthy protein to a meal.
Black mustard seeds are tiny little strong flavoured seeds used most commonly in Indian cooking. They are the most pungent of all mustard seeds. The tiny seeds are dark brown with a slightly reddish hue to some seeds.
Add to bread when baking or sprinkle over salads.
Black olives are the result of olives that have been left to mature for longer, and develop a darker colour. They are often used as toppings on pizza and included in salads.
Add black olives to pasta sauces, to garnish salads, couscous, stews etc. as a way of adding texture, flavour and nutrients.
This is the ground spice that comes from black peppercorns. It is widely available in UK supermarkets and one of the most commonly used seasonings.
Pepper is a staple cooking ingredient, however, it also helps to increase the cleaning power of your everyday detergent and prevents clothes from fading after washing.
Black peppercorns are the fruit that are dried from the flowering vine, piper nigrum. Black pepper is the world’s most traded spice and one of the most commonly used.
Black peppercorns can be made into ground pepper using either a spice blender or with a pestle and mortar. Sprinkle over any dish for a tasty kick.
Black quinoa is earthier and sweeter tasting than white quinoa and maintains its colour even when cooked. Although black quinoa is typically harder to find than white or red, it contains the same general benefits as all quinoa varieties.
Use as a tasty alternative to white quinoa. Serve as an accompaniment to salad or as an on the go meal. Prepare the night before and take it as a lunchtime meal for work.
Sometimes known as purple rice, this is a glutinous type of rice that is popular with Asian cooking. It has a high anthocyanin content as well as being a good source of vitamin E and iron. It is similar in flavour to brown rice, which has a mild, nutty flavour.
Use black rice instead of white rice if you want a more nutrient rich alternative.
Black seaweed pearls are shimmering pearls with a fresh taste of sea and saltiness. They are made from seaweed and unlike caviar that is made from fish eggs, include no animal ingredients meaning they are suitable for vegetarians and vegans and have a lower carbon footprint than fish caviar.
Serve cold as a canapé topping, as salad or sandwich decoration or mixed into dips and toppings or heated in hot sauces.
Use black seaweed pearls in our recipe for Blinis with Smoked Carrot and ‘Caviar’
Used in many different Asian cuisines, black sesame seeds are are used to coat sushi, meat and vegetables. It is also popular in African cuisines, with Tanzania and Sudan being two of the world’s largest growers of black sesame seeds. They are believed to have a range of health benefits, including anti-aging and aiding the strength of bones.
Toast the seeds and sprinkle over stir frys, salads or stir through rice for added texture and nuttiness as well as a healthy and nutritious boost.
Black-Eyed Peas or Black-eyed beans are small, creamy-flavoured beans with a black ‘eye’ where they were joined to the pod. They are used in American and African cooking. Not to be confused with black beans.
Use black eyed peas can be added to soups and stews or as a nice addition to a salad.
Blackberries are a berry with a dark colour, and commonly found in hedgerows in the UK. They are similar in shape to raspberries, however they have a distinctly different flavour. They are best when in season from June until November. They are full of antioxidants and are linked to having numerous health benefits.
A great fruit to preserve and turn into jam. Easily found in the wild so a great fruit to forage for.
Blackcurrant Cordial is a non-alcoholic concentrated syrup used in beverage making. It is made from blackcurrant fruit juice, water, and sugar or a sugar substitute. It is also referred to as ‘squash’.
Use blackcurrant cordial when making our Blueberry and Biscuit Lollies.
This is the viscous molasses that remain after sugar has been extracted from raw sugar cane. It is similar to a thick syrup in terms of its consistency and it is dark in colour. You can get them from most UK supermarkets.
Molasses can be added to homemade raw energy balls to give them an all round nutritional boost, as well as working well as a binding agent.
A blanched almond is when a shelled almond gets coated with hot water so that the seed-coat can be softened and removed.
Make homemade marzipan from blanched almonds. Use marzipan when baking.
Blood orange is a type of orange that has a scarlet crimson, almost blood coloured flesh. The skin is often harder to peel than that of other oranges and has a different flavour of raspberry overtones. Blood oranges are also less acidic than regular oranges.
Use in place of regular orange for example in a salad or in desserts.
The fruit from a flowering perennial plant, blueberries are considered a superfood due to the high levels of vitamins in the berries. They are a good source of vitamin K, vitamin C, manganese and anthocyanins. You can get them fresh or frozen in most UK supermarkets.
Blueberries are a tasty yogurt or breakfast cereal topping, a healthy smoothie ingredient, or they make a quick blueberry sauce when heated up in the microwave or on the hob.
Bok choy also know as pak choi or pok choi is a type of Chinese cabbage. Made up of smooth, dark green leaf blades which form a cluster very much like those of celery.
Use in stir fries or as a side dish drizzled with soy sauce. It is tasty when steamed or fried, but do not overcook as it loses it crunch.
Sometimes called star flower, this cucumber flavoured herb grows at least 2 feet tall. The slightly fuzzy young leaves of the borage plant can be eaten raw as salad greens or used in any way that you use lettuce. The leaves have a mild cucumber flavour and they provide a whole variety of nutrients.
The slightly fuzzy young leaves of the borage plant can be eaten raw as salad greens or used in any way that you use lettuce.
Borlotti beans are otherwise known as cranberry beans due to their colour. It is commonly used in Italian, Portuguese, Turkish and Greek cuisines. They are widely available in UK supermarkets at low prices.
Borlotti beans once cooked can be used in salads, and can be cooked in stews and soups to make them more robust.
Bouillon powder is a powdered vegetable stock that is added into stews, soups, casseroles and some sauces. It is widely available under different brand names. For a vegan options, ensure that you purchase the vegetable stock only as meat options are available.
Boil rice and grains in a bouillon stock to add depth of flavour.
Bramley apple, or simply Bramley, is an apple which is usually eaten cooked due to its sourness. The apples are very large, two or three times the weight of a typical dessert apple. They are flat with a vivid green skin which becomes red on the side which receives direct sunlight.
To use Bramley Apples in a recipe, follow our recipe for Baked Apples.
Brandy is an alcoholic spirit that is drunk in small portions after dinner and added into recipes sometimes. It is made from distilled wine. Available from supermarkets and specialist retailers.
Brandy can be added to sauces and gravy’s to make them richer. Add to a vegan hot chocolate as a comforting evening tipple.
Brazil nuts, are packed full of nutrients and are a delicious type of nuts that come from a tree in South America called The Brazil nut tree. These nuts can be eaten raw or included in recipes. Some of the health benefits of the Brazil nut include, aids in digestion, boosts immune system, helps in cellular growth, repair and wound healing.
Eat as a convenient snack or dip in chocolate to make a sweet treat.
A staple food to keep in, bread can be made with different flours. There are many different types available, such as rye for example, and some brands make gluten-free bread.
Stale bread can be finely ground in a food processor to make breadcrumbs.
A bread roll is a small, usually round loaf of bread served as a meal accompaniment. A roll can be served and eaten whole or cut transversely and dressed with filling between the two halves.
Bread rolls are compact therefore great to use in place of a sliced bread sandwich. Alternatively dip in a bowl of soup.
Used to coat different foods, breadcrumbs are available in different types. They are easily made with day-old bread, or purchased in the supermarkets. The give food a crunch texture on the outside, and help some foods to retain moisture.
Breadcrumbs can be used to thicken sauces, as a crispy topping for pasta bakes and lasagnas, and adding breadcrumbs to bean burgers helps them stick together to form patties.
Use stale breadcrumbs in our recipe for Taramasolata.
Used to coat different foods, breadcrumbs are available in different types. They are easily made with day-old bread, or purchased in the supermarkets. The give food a crunch texture on the outside, and help some foods to retain moisture.
When making your own gluten-free bread crumbs, make sure you use a brand of gluten-free bread that is vegan, as many gluten-free breads contain egg.
Supermarkets own brand of bread is often vegan-friendly, but double check ingredients list.
Most commonly used as a vegetable, breadfruit is a staple food in many tropical countries. It can be fried, or roasted, boiled in soups or mashed with margarine and non-dairy milk. When cooked, the taste of breadfruit is described as potato like, or similar to freshly baked bread.
Breadfruit is rich in starch; fry, bake, roast, boil as you would a potato.
Breakfast muffins are a bread-like round food product that is coated in semolina, typically. They are widely available in all UK supermarkets and are made with white or wholegrain flour. There are many recipes on the internet to make different versions of this breakfast food.
Use as an alternative to bread when making sandwiches for kids packed lunches (or adults).
Broad beans are adaptable and pretty hardy, growing in most soils and climates. They are part of the legume family. Broad beans are a great source of protein and carbohydrates, and are packed full of vitamins such as A, B1 and B2. They can be brought fresh but are often brought frozen for convince.
Broccoli is cut into florets and cooked to be eaten. It is a green vegetable that has minerals and vitamins that are beneficial to human health. They are widely available and there are different types of broccoli – purple sprouting, for example.
Roast in the oven to make a delicious salad topping.
This type of lentils is the most common and they are sometimes khaki brown coloured. They hold their shape well and cook in 20-30 minutes. Their flavour is earthy and mild.
Use as a ‘meaty’ substitute to mince in lasagnas, moussakas, bolognese etc.
The brown onion is more commonly know as a yellow onion, but is also sometimes just referred to as a white onion or just onion.
The brown onion comes in a range of sizes going from golf ball to softball, with light yellow flesh and golden, papery skin. Tasting rather strong when raw then very sweet when cooked. Brown onions are available all year, in the summer and early autumn, they taste sweeter, as they haven’t been in storage as long, where as they are sharper through the winter months.
Onions are so versatile when used in savoury dishes. Add them to dishes to give them flavour especially soups, stews, roasted vegetables, salads or caramalise them with sugar and use as a dressing or dip.
Rice is generally a poor source of vitamins and minerals. However, considerable amounts may be concentrated in the bran of brown rice
Manganese: A trace mineral found in most foods, especially whole grains. It is essential for metabolism, growth, development. It’s also a powerful antioxidant that seeks out free radicals and neutralizes these harmful particles, thereby preventing many of the potential dangers they cause
Selenium: A mineral that is a component of selenoproteins, which have various important functions in the body
Thiamin: Also known as vitamin B1, thiamin is essential for metabolism and the function of the heart, muscles, and nervous system.
Niacin: Also known as vitamin B3, niacin in rice is mostly in the form of nicotinic acid. Soaking rice in water before cooking may increase its absorption
Magnesium: Found in brown rice, magnesium is an important dietary mineral.
Copper: Often found in whole grains, copper is low in the Western diet. Poor copper status could have negative effects on heart health
Add brown rice to salads to give them a nutty taste and texture. Can also be used to make a healthier version of rice pudding.
This type of sugar is brown because of the presence of molasses and it is either unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Used in baking and sauces as it caramelizes quickly. It is widely available in all UK supermarkets.
Use brown sugar when baking. It is ideal when making caramel sauces as it adds a touch of extra flavor. Common uses for brown sugar include sweetening baked goods, beverages, sauces, and marinades.
A member of the brassica family, brussels sprouts are one of the least favoured greens. They grow to be up to 4cm in diameter, and are particularly popular as a component of Christmas dinners. They are picked off of stalks where the vegetable grows.
Instead of boiling them, either shred them and fry them or roast them, to give your sprouts a tasty face-lift.
Buckwheat flour, also known as “Sarrasin flour” despite its name is not a form of wheat and does not naturally contain gluten. Buckwheat flour can be used in making bread, scones, pancakes and more.
Packing some serious punch, this sauce combines melted vegan butter, hot pepper sauce, vinegar, garlic and cayenne pepper. Best enjoyed poured over cauliflower or as a garnish on vegan mac n cheese, spicy food aficionados will adore this buffalo sauce.
Best enjoyed poured over cauliflower or as a garnish on vegan mac n cheese.
Pale-brown, nutty tasting bulgur wheat is made by par-boiling, drying, and then coarsely grinding wheat berries. Sometimes referred to as cracked wheat, bulgur is rich in protein, minerals, and antioxidants.
Use bulgur wheat as an alternative to couscous and take it as a quick an easy on the go lunch, serve with salad or as an accompaniment to a main meal for dinner.
A burger bun is a round, risen bread designed specifically to hold a burger patty and the accompanying toppings. Burger buns are higher in sugar and fat compared to bread.
The burger bun, when sliced in half, makes burgers and sandwiches portable and easy foods to eat.
These large white beans are a common addition to stews and casseroles and are otherwise known as lima beans. This type of bean is a good source of dietary fiber and is high in protein. They must be thoroughly cooked to prevent sickness as the toxin phytohaemagglutinin is present in butter beans. Tinned butter beans carry less risk of this due to the pre-cooking process.
Coat in a light dressing and add to salad for a healthy and nutritious lunch.
~To make use of butter beans, try our Fennel and Butterbean Cassoulet
Butterhead lettuce receives its name from the sweet buttery flavor and delicate texture of the large, ruffled outer leaves. Cutting into the lettuce reveals a soft, folded, and blanched heart. It is great to use in salads.
One of the most commonly used and it has orange flesh, similar to pumpkins. It has seeds inside that need to be removed before use, however these are edible. It is technically a fruit as it has seeds, however it is used as a vegetable and has a very sweet flavour. They are best when in season during the autumn.
A great vegetable to make an easy soup with, roast and top salads with it or blend to make into an easy and healthy pasta sauce.
Button mushrooms are one of the most common types of mushroom, and they are widely available. They are usually white in colour, however you can get brown ones.
Mix things up a bit and instead of adding mushrooms to everyday dishes, try roasting them instead with oil and garlic.