A growing number of vegan cooks are sharing veg-centric dishes from their cultures of origin, and plant-based twists on traditional recipes. One such creator is Christina Soteriou, chef, recipe developer and author of Big Veg Energy. Drawing on her Cypriot upbringing and wider Mediterranean food culture, her cooking celebrates simple techniques, bold flavours and vegetables treated with respect.
“I grew up in Cyprus where, until recently, not eating meat was unheard of outside of Lent,” she explains. “I stopped eating meat when I was ten, because I loved animals so much. I had to dig deep to stay firm through decades of arguments with family and friends but as much as I tried, I couldn’t convince anyone else to go vegan with me.”
That’s when she changed her tactics. “Rather than trying to convince people to eat fewer animal products, I cooked for them,” she says. “I got better and better at cooking so that more and more people would enjoy my vegan food and see that eating this way really could be great. These days, I get to share my food and connect with people I have never met, in all different places and walks of life, which feels like such a gift.” One of the first things Christina made and loved was a spanakopita – a spinach pastry traditionally made with feta, herbs and leek. “My family really love this one and never thought about the missing feta,” she says. “And it’s even better now that I have a special, tofu-based substitute for it.”
The key to getting Cypriot and Greek food right? “Using lots of herbs, very good quality vegetables and lots of lemon and olive oil,” says Christina. “It’s non-fussy, simple food that naturally uses lots of vegetables, legumes and pulses and has a lot of traditionally plant-based dishes. So it’s easy!”
These days, I get to share my food and connect with people I have never met, in all different places and walks of life
Mujadarra, a simple (and accidentally vegan) lentil and rice dish made with caramelised onions, is a weekly staple in most households in Cyrus, Christina adds. “I love this dish because there are versions of it all around the Middle East and Greece, so it strengthens our connection to our neighbours.”
The veg with the biggest energy? Aubergines, cauliflower and mushrooms, says Christina. “All of these are really easy to turn into a centrepiece with the right components – a delicious base, a herby drizzle and a nutty sprinkle to finish it off.”
We’re still sleeping on other plant-based Mediterranean ingredients too, she adds. “I would love to see people understand how versatile, healthy and delicious tahini is,” she says. “You can use it in so many different ways – to thicken soups, in dips, even to make ‘caramel’ for desserts.”
Are we ready to ride the next wave of big veg energy? “I think we’re seeing a big push in interest for eating whole foods and avoiding ultra-processed foods,” says Christina. “This ultimately means that much more veg, which is always a good thing.” We couldn’t agree more.
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Christina Soteriou is a chef, recipe creator and the author of Big Veg Energy.
