Katy Beskow is on a mission to make plant-based cooking more accessible with these pocket-friendly vegan dishes, ready in just 15 minutes.

I’m often asked whether living a vegan lifestyle is expensive – there are a lot of misconceptions of vegans eating unpronounceable grains and an excess of avocados, shopping in exclusive food stores, and having high energy bills due to boiling all those pulses. But the honest, surprising-to-some answer is: no.

My own journey into veganism has humble beginnings, when I moved to London as a student back in 2006. With just enough money to cover rent and bulls, I started shopping at a local fruit and vegetable market to make savings. The market was intoxicating, with vibrant and exotic produce, as well as cheap and fast-cooking rice, canned beans, and lentils. Buying seasonal, vegan produce gave me a way to get creative in the kitchen, as well as inspiring what would become an unexpected career in food writing.

You don’t need specialist ingredients to cook great vegan meals. Everything you need is available at the supermarket – from fresh vegetables and a variety of non-dairy milks, to an array of herbs and, of course, a selection of beans and pulses. You’ll be pleased to learn that vegan cooking is fast, as the ingredients are easy to prepare and transform into something hearty, nutritious, and delicious. Being short of time and on a budget doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice great food.  These recipes are full of flavour, creativity and, of course, are as effortless and quick as possible.

People are choosing a vegan lifestyle for various reasons, including animal ethics, sustainability, health improvement, and wanting to understand where their food is really from and how it’s processed. It is also now common for people to choose a vegan diet to save money. Plant proteins are remarkably cheaper than meat, fish, or dairy products. Whatever your reasons for starting a vegan lifestyle, or adding more vegan meals into your diet, and regardless of how much money you are able, or want, to spend on food, it’s important to remember that veganism is accessible to all. Have fun with cooking, enjoy your time in the kitchen, and create delicious, vegan meals in moment.

15 Minute Vegan: On a Budget by Katy Beskow, Quadrille, £15. Photo: Dan Jones.