A Vegan’s Guide to Stocking Up in Case of a Hurricane.

It is that time again. Hurricane season is here. The time all of us in the hurricane belt dread the most.

Yes, summertime comes with its advantages. It is the time we local folk get to play and we finally enjoy our beaches again, cause you know, we don’t swim in the winter. It’s just too darn cold 😉 But with all that fun and play, there is always that looming threat of another hurricane.

The hurricane in 2017 was not our first rodeo and neither will it be our last. By now most of  us who experienced the storms in 2017 consider ourselves somewhat of a pro when it comes to hurricane preparedness. We have learned our lessons and are now better equipped to survive the aftermath. Or so we hope.

But one thing I still have difficulty mastering is how to stock my pantry as a Pescatarian/Vegetarian and wannabe Vegan.

I will be the first one to admit that as well as I prepared for those post apocalyptic days following Irma, my emergency stocking skills still left a lot to be desired. My husband’s experience was a little bit different. He had much more choices when it came to food options but me, not so much. And if I had trouble coming up with inventive ways of making a healthy, balanced, yet Vegetarian meal with no fridge, fresh vegetables and fruits, what about my Vegan friends?

So, to be better prepared this hurricane season, I consulted with my friend, Vegan chef Jackie. Not only is she a great chef but she is also married to a firefighter and thus her stocking skills are impressive.

If you’re a Vegan or Vegetarian, here is a list of items to stock up in your pantry this hurricane season:

• B12 vitamins
• Plant based milk
• Protein powder, which can be mixed with plant based milk or water
• Spirulina tablets for that extra protein
• Cans of different beans and legumes
• Bags of dried beans, peas and legumes
• Vegan crackers
• Vegan instant mashed potato
• Canned vegetables like beets, corn and sweet peas. These are less soggy that other canned veggies.
• Canned tomatoes and tomato sauce to make pasta sauce or to use to flavor dishes
• Vegan peanut butter
• Dried spices and herbs
• Nutritional yeast to flavor dishes
• Veggie broth cubes
• Dried pasta and noodles
• Oats and chia seeds
• Canned fruits for when you’re feeling like something sweet
• Nuts, seeds and dried fruits to snack on
• Lemon juice to mix with your water cause plain water gets a bit boring after a while
• Different teas

I don’t know about you but I’m feeling a lot more confident going into hurricane season with this list and I’m already thinking of a few delicious meals I can make with it all. But for those of us who are a bit more challenged in that department or that like me, lack the imagination to come up with meals other than just crackers and beans, Jackie shares with us a few of her favorite recipes.

Chia Pudding
For breakfast or as a healthy snack

2 cups plant based milk
1 cup Chia seeds
If available after the hurricane, a banana or other (canned) fruits or
peanut butter

Mix the seeds with the milk. Let it set for 15 minutes
and add the fruits or peanut butter. Top with nuts, seeds
or dried fruits.

Oats
For breakfast or as a healthy snack

Mix 1/2 cup rolled oats with 1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk.
Add some cinnamon and sweetener of choice and other add-ins
such as (canned) fruits, plant-based protein powder, plain
applesauce and/or vanilla extract.
Mix in extra water if needed.
Let it soak covered overnight.

In the morning put on the topping of your choice like raw nuts
and seeds, fresh banana slices, peanut or nut butter, or freshly
chopped apples if available.

Simple Veggie Soup

2 Vegetable stock cubes
1 liter Water
1 can dices tomatoes
1 can sweet peas
1 can of corn
1 can of butter beans
Salt and pepper and other spices like (cayenne, Italian seasoning, onion powder,
garlic powder etc.)

Make some broth with vegetable stock cubes and water.
Add all the cans and mix.
Add salt and pepper and spices of your
choice and enjoy.

You can also add noodles.
Just boil water, throw in noodles to soften and add
the noodles to the veggie soup.

Simple Bean Stew
Serve with crackers, rice, noodles or mashed potatoes
1 Vegetable stock cubes
Oil
1 can dices tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can of chickpeas
1 can of butter beans (or other beans)
1 can of corn
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper
Red pepper powder, onion powder and garlic powder

Put some oil in a pan and lightly sauté the crumbled
stock cube.
Add all the cans and spices and let it cook for 5
minutes.

There you have it, four delicious alternatives to just peanut butter and crackers.

Do you have a Vegan recipe using items that do not require refrigeration? Please don’t be shy and share it with us in the comments below.

About Jackie

A Vegetarian for most of her life, Jackie only started the Vegan lifestyle back in 2012. Cooking has always been more than just a hobby for her and a healthy lifestyle has always been her thing but she really found her passion when she enrolled at the Health & Nutrition Culinary school in The Netherlands.

During her training she did an internship with raw Vegan chef Colette Nickerson, who
introduced her to the raw kitchen, a very clean and healthy lifestyle.

After finishing culinary school Jackie started giving workshops, private cooking lessons and pop-up dinners with the focus on healthy Vegetarian and Vegan cooking. Something she continues to do today.

Jackie is also an avid fan of Cross Fit and loves to teach others how to follow the Vegan lifestyle and still be able to do intense workouts without the traditional protein options, and how to use yoga as the perfect way to balance an active and healthy lifestyle.

Follow Jackie on Instagram and Facebook or visit her website Puur Jackie for more delicious Vegan recipes and workshops.

Do you have any Vegan or Vegetarian recipes that are post-hurricane proof? Please share them below.