Think eating vegan is hard? Your regular food routines are implying otherwise. Just adding a little more consciousness to your orders makes it pretty simple, especially since the best meals are just a matter of finding the perfect blend of tastes and textures.
Falafel
Falafel is made with chickpeas and fried
to make it crunchy on the outside, while many traditional toppings are totally safe from animal by-products, like hummus (also made of chickpeas), tahini (sesame seeds), and Israeli salad (diced tomato, cucumbers and onions). Fried eggplant and marinated mushrooms are vegan too, not to mention the pita or laffa bread that you stuff it all into. Check out two of Toronto's big Middle Eastern chain restaurants, Me Va Me and Sofra.
Mexican
Rice, beans and veggies are naturally vegan so it's very easy to do Mexican food proud while skipping the meat, cheese and sour cream. Some places even offer seasoned tofu (like the sofritas at Chipotle), but you will definitely be full and satisfied either way. All those flavours, with salsa and guacamole as your toppings, and you won't miss anything! Try burritos, tacos, fajitas, and rice or salad bowls at any local restaurant or chain. And make them at home with our super easy recipe.
Burrito salad bowl at Chipotle
Japanese
Avocado maki rolls may be simple, but they're truly delicious. Consider skipping boring cucumber or carrot rolls though and give sweet potato, mushroom, Inari (tofu), and various other vegan-friendly concoctions wrapped in rice and seaweed a try
‒ just hold the mayo. There's also tofu sushi, which is basically Inari pockets with rice inside, tofu teriyaki (try the
In Your Vegan Face version), avocado or seaweed salad, edamame, veggie tempura, and green tea that's good for your metabolism. If you feel like miso soup, just check that it's made without fish.
Thai / Chinese
It's quite easy to order vegan with most Asian cuisines because there are numerous tofu and veggie options. Just specify that you don't want any fish sauces, eggs or butter in your dishes and ask about anything you're not sure about (like oyster sauce, for example, which is not vegan). Pad Thai with vegetarian sauce, plus tofu, lots of veggies, and rice or wheat noodles, are all great staples. Cynthia's at Bathurst/Centre, Lime at Yonge/Lawrence, and Empire Grill at Allen Road/Eglinton are delicious.
Pizza
Despite getting some chuckles about cheese-less pizza, there are plenty of Italian restaurants that make them taste fantastic (and they're easy to order). Most pizza chains in Toronto have now introduced vegan cheese ‒ such as Pizzaiolo, Mamma's Pizza, Pizza Nova, and Pizza Pizza ‒
and some even include mock meat as an option. You can also do panzerottis the same way. Pizza crust and traditional tomato sauce are almost always vegan.
Veggie (no cheese) pizza at Vannis at Bathurst/St. Clair
Indian
Samosas and pakoras are made of vegetables and flour, while many other dishes use scrumptious vegan-friendly curry and coconut milk instead of dairy. Indian food also consists of a lot of chickpeas, lentils, and potatoes so you are sure to find many great, satisfying options. Try the wonderful Copper Chimney in Toronto around Avenue/Wilson.
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