Glossary of ingredients
From our greens to our grains, we spend a lot of time making sure the ingredients we use in our meals are fresh, delicious and genuinely good for you. Our glossary of ingredients goes into these decisions in a bit more detail.
01 Oils, spices + vinegars
Apple cider vinegar
We use raw, organic apple cider vinegar ‘with the mother’ which just means it’s natural and unprocessed. Apple cider vinegar is rich in probiotics, which means it’s really good for gut health. We use it a lot as we love the tartness it adds - it’s in most of our dressings, as well as our pickles and sweetcorn salsa.
Tahini
Tahini is made from sesame seeds, ground together until they form a paste. We use a tahini which is just 100% sesame. Tahini is often found in middle-eastern cuisines, and it gives our houmous its creaminess.
Tamari
Tamari is gluten free soy sauce, made from just soybeans, water and salt. We use this to keep our meals naturally gluten free.
Extra virgin olive oil
Quality is key couldn’t be more important when it comes to oil. We use extra virgin olive oil in our houmous, dressings and marinades – everywhere except when we’re roasting or cooking vegetables. Not only is it better for you, but the flavour is also much better.
Rapeseed oil
Thanks to its high smoking point, rapeseed oil is one of the best to use when roasting veggies. For this reason, we use it for any of our roasted veg, such as sweet potato or roasted cauliflower.
Toasted sesame oil
Sesame oil adds such a rich, delicious flavour and lends itself well to Asian food, particularly when added to dressings or marinades. We use it in our Korean Bowl to add flavour to the carrot slaw.
Sea salt
Good salt is the real game changer. Our personal preference is sea salt, which we use across everything. We used to use a lot of Himalayan salt, but switched to UK produced sea salt.
Rice vinegar
Rice vinegar is made from fermented rice. We tend to use it in any Asian-inspired dishes we create, as it’s commonly used in Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese cuisine.
Coconut sugar and maple syrup
We tend not to use much sugar in our meals, but occasionally a dressing or marinade calls for a little something sweet. In this case we’ll use either coconut sugar or maple syrup as a more natural option. As our meals are plant-based, we never use honey.
02 Grains + legumes
Quinoa
Quinoa is a delicious and versatile gluten free grain which is packed with both protein and fibre - one serving of quinoa (about 1 cup) gets you 6g of protein and 4g of fibre. The key to good quinoa is how you cook it - we always make sure our quinoa is fluffy and light, with plenty of seasoning for flavour.
Brown rice
Brown rice is our go-to grain. It’s great for slow-release energy, keeps you full for longer and it’s delicious. Brown rice is also a good source of fibre and magnesium; an essential mineral for energy production.
Black beans
Black beans are a nutritional powerhouse - just half a cup of black beans is a source of protein and high in fibre, which supports digestive health. When cooked, they’re soft with a creamy texture and mild flavour. They’re predominantly grown in Central and South America, which is why we use them in our Mexican-inspired Burrito Bowl.
Chickpeas
Chickpeas are key to creamy houmous, but we also use them cooked and roasted in our meals. They’re slightly nutty, with a bit more bite than other creamier beans. Chickpeas are a great source of fibre and magnesium; a mineral needed for energy production. They commonly found in both Middle Eastern and Indian dishes.
Black eyed beans
Black eyed beans still aren’t that common in the UK, but they’re one of our faves! They’re creamy, have a sweet nuttiness and are packed with protein, fibre and calcium - in fact one cup of cooked black beans provides 13g of protein and 11g of fibre.
03 Vegetables
Beetroot
Earthy beets are one of the richest sources of glutamine, an amino acid essential to the health and maintenance of our gut. It’s also a great source of folate, which helps to reduce tiredness so we feel awake and alert. They’re also a good source of gut-loving fibre.
Butternut Squash
Delicious and filling, roasted butternut squash is packed with vitamin A, an antioxidant which supports vision and eye health. It also contains energy-sustaining complex carbohydrates to help balance blood sugar, maintain energy levels and keep you full for longer.
Carrots
Carrots are one of the best sources of vitamin A, which supports eye health and even helps us see more clearly in the dark. Carrots are also a good source of Vitamin K and fibre. We tend to use raw carrot, grated into a slaw, to add a nice sweetness and fresh flavour to our salads.
Cauliflower
Cauli is an excellent source of vitamin C, which supports a healthy immune system, and a good source of folate, which helps to reduce tiredness. We roast our cauli in a spicy marinade to create soft florets that are packed with flavour
Chilli
Chilli is a good source of Vitamin C, which we need to keep our immune system healthy, as well as potassium and vitamin B6, which helps which helps us use and store the energy we get from protein and carbohydrates.
Cucumber
Cucumber is a good source of vitamin K, a group of vitamins that our bodies need for blood clotting, which helps wound heal. They’re also really hydrating for both your body and skin, as they’re made up of about 95% water. We also use pickled cucumber, which adds even more gut-loving benefits thanks to it soaking up all the apple cider vinegar.
Garlic
Garlic is a great source of potassium, which helps to keep our muscles working properly. It also has antibacterial properties, as it’s rich in a compound called allicin, not to mention it adds a delicious flavour.
Ginger
Fragrant, spicy ginger is known for its nutritional benefits. It’s used to alleviate the symptoms of a cold as its a diaphoretic (which means it encourages perspiration). Similar to garlic, it’s also a great source of potassium, which is good for our nervous system.
Kale
Kale is a nutritional powerhouse; it’s high in vitamin A, which supports eye health, vitamin C which supports immunity and vitamin K to maintain strong bones. We massage our kale in oil, salt and lemon juice before adding it to salads to help break down the hard texture and make it tastier to eat.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are rich in riboflavin (also known as vitamin B2) and copper, which help our metabolism function so we can use the energy and nutrients from the food we eat. We roast our mushrooms in a tamari and garlic marinade to create a rich, umami flavour.
Peas
Peas add a pop of freshness and a nice sweetness when mixed through a salad. They’re a good source of vitamin C and fibre as well as a few micronutrients, particularly thiamine - a B vitamin and helps our heart function properly and keeps our nervous system healthy.
Radish
Packed with peppery flavour, radishes are a good source of folic acid and vitamin C, which helps to keep our immune system strong so we can fight illness and flu. We pickle ours in gut-friendly apple cider vinegar for even more health benefits and a delicious tart flavour.
Red Cabbage
One cup of red cabbage contains over half your recommended daily intake of Vitamin C, which we need for a healthy immune system, so we can fight off colds and flu. It’s also rich in vitamin K and folic acid.
Red peppers
Red peppers are high in vitamin C - in fact they’re one of the best sources of vitamin C (they contain even more than oranges). They’re also a good source of vitamin B6, which helps us use and store the energy we get from protein and carbohydrates. We chargrill our peppers for a smoky taste and soft texture.
Rocket
Rocket explodes with bright, peppery flavour and is rich in heart-friendly folate, vitamin C and calcium.
Spinach
Spinach is a great source of folate, a nutrient we need to make red blood cells which transport oxygen around our body. It’s also high in manganese (great for energy), folic acid and vitamins A and C.
Spring onion
Spring onion is a great source of vitamin C, which helps to keep our immune system healthy, so we can fight illness and flu. We tend to mix it through grains to add a burst of flavour.
Sweetcorn
Sweetcorn is naturally high in fibre which is good for digestive health, and vitamin C which supports your immune system. Its delicious sweet flavour makes it one of the hero ingredients in our Mexican Burrito Bowl!
Sweet potato
Unlike regular potatoes, sweet potato counts as one of your 5-a-day. They’re naturally high in fibre which is good for your gut, and beta-carotene which helps to keep our skin healthy. They’re also a great source of vitamin C for a strong immune system.