North African eggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce. One pan, twenty minutes, feeds a crowd. My go-to for lazy Sunday brunch.

From-scratch green curry paste makes all the difference. Worth the food processor. Creamy, fresh, herbal, with just enough heat.

Lebanese lentils and rice with masses of caramelized onions. Humble pantry food that will make you understand why people call it holy.

Street-style pad thai with tofu instead of shrimp, and coconut aminos standing in for fish sauce. Tastes like the real thing, I promise.

All the depth and richness of the classic French braise, made entirely with mushrooms. The wine matters. Use something you would drink.

Same wine, same fond, 45 minutes under pressure instead of 3 hours in the oven. Weeknight bourguignon is a thing now.

Summer blueberries instead of cherries. No pit concerns. Add a little lemon zest to the batter.

Jackfruit smoked with the same SPG rub. The texture is uncanny if you get the bark right. Travis would hate this. That's how you know it's good.

Coconut oil toasted until fragrant substitutes for brown butter almost perfectly. Flax eggs do the work. Tested 4 times.

Shiitake mushrooms replace the pork. Vegetable stock. The doubanjiang and Sichuan peppercorns do all the heavy lifting anyway.

Kombu-shiitake broth only — no chicken. Soy tare adjusted for the lighter base. Tofu, roasted king oyster mushrooms on top.

Seasonal vegetables: cauliflower, potato, peas, and paneer. Same dum technique. Lighter but just as aromatic.

Extra-firm tofu pressed and pan-fried replaces paneer. Vegan. The spinach sauce is so good you will not miss anything.

Portobello mushrooms and seitan replace the chicken. The wine braise is unchanged. Serve over polenta instead of noodles.

Lime instead of lemon. Add 50ml coconut milk to the curd. The pastry gets a sprinkle of toasted coconut. Tropical and less sharp.

Add a handful of pomegranate seeds right at the end. The crunch and sweetness are the most underrated guacamole upgrade.

Young jackfruit shredded in the chile colorado sauce. Fill with jackfruit, black beans, and roasted pepper. No crema, extra avocado.

Thick eggplant rounds breaded and fried. The texture is extraordinary — crispy outside, silky inside. Vegan and honestly better than chicken.

Brush with oil and bake at 200C until golden. 40% less fat. Surprisingly good. The pastry doesn't quite blister the same way but it works.

Replace the pork with mushrooms, black beans, and amaranth. The picadillo needs more seasoning. Worth the effort.

American cavolo nero substitute: curly kale works well. Remove the tough centre ribs and add 5 minutes of extra cooking.

Dark beer and mushroom stock replace beef stock. Vegan Gruyere on top still works. The onions are the whole point anyway.

Cashew cream + coconut cream replaces mascarpone. Aquafaba meringue for the lift. Actually works. I was skeptical. Now I'm a convert.

Finely chopped shiitake and oyster mushrooms with pressed tofu and chives. Squeeze out all the moisture — this is the critical step.