Also, the number of new brands that are offering plant-based food has grown recently making people who are curious about tasting new food go part-time vegan. 

Sadly, for people with peanut allergies, which is 1 in 50 children and 1 in every 200 adults, switching to a plant-based diet is even more challenging. But, not impossible. 

We asked our team’s expert and committed vegan, Sofi, for her advice:

So here are some quick “entry-level” vegan meals that are easy to prepare and very delicious. Most importantly, they do not contain peanuts, soy or legumes. 

Vegan Pizza

Honestly sometimes I go with the flow. I find a recipe that is not typically known as plant-based and I veganize it. That is how I started making yummy vegan pizza for myself. 

You will need: 

• Vegan Cheese – While there are many cashew vegan cheese, mine is typically made from coconut and other extracts. There are different brands of vegan cheese, you can choose the best fit for you. 

• Tomatoes 

• Olives 

• Mushrooms 

• Origano 

• Ready pizza dough (if you do not have time to make the dough by yourself) 

Pit the ingredients on the pizza dough in the following order: cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, olives and add in origano at the end. Add the quantity of ingredients you find suitable for the people to whom you want to serve delicious vegan pizza. Bake for 15 -20 minutes at 250 degrees. 

Quinoa with vegetables 

This is also a very simple  and tasty recipe. You will need: 

• Quinoa – I usually put around 100 grams for 2 meals. Therefore I recommend you measure 50grams per serving. 

• Zucchini – 2 small ones (for 2 servings)

• Potatoes – 3 small ones (for 2 servings)

• Onion – 1 is enough for rich flavor

• And my favorite – Origano 

• 2 tablespoons of oil (any kind you use) 

Wash the vegetables and cut them in small circles. Oil the baking pot and start laying out the ingredients in the following order: first the potatoes, second the quinoa seed, third the zucchini and last the onion circles. Add in the origano and bake for 25-30 minutes at 250 degrees. 

Pasta with vegan cheese and broccoli 

Again. A very simple everyday recipe that can be -veganized. 

For this one you will need: 

• Vegan pasta – I usually use 100g per serving 

• Vegan cheese – as mentioned previously – most of them are made by coconut oil and extracts therefore feel free to choose any brand that suits you. I usually put 30-50 grams per serving. 

• Fresh broccoli – 200 grams per serving. 

• 0.5 tablespoon oil (any kind) 

• 2 tsp salt 

• And… you guessed it -origano. 

Follow these steps. Boil the pasta like you usually do with 1 teaspoon of salt and 0.5 tablespoon of oil. Meanwhile, boil the fresh broccoli with 1 teaspoon of salt. Once the pasta and the broccoli are cooked, put them in an eating bowl. Cut the cheese into small pieces of dice. Add in the origano and mix the ingredients. 

For extra taste you can add in a tomato sauce. 

My tips is to experiment with taste within your range of possibilities. Google a famous recipe and try to make it suit your lifestyle. With time you will learn and you will make it a routine. 

I hope you will have an enjoyable time cooking and tasting new food. 

Bon Appetit! 

Bali was one of those lucky countries which has not yet been hit with an influx of severe food allergies and the most common response we received after sharing my note (which include “I will die” twice) locals confirmed their understanding that the translation of the word allergy by nodding in acknowledgment and making a scratching motion to confirm my note meant “you will itch”. This is where my fiance developed an adorable and embarrassing habit of acting out the international choking symbol. Effective (although probably not still necessary in Canada….)

When we spent time with our bilingual, very fluent host he explained that peanut allergies, and food allergies in general were not at all typical in Bali, and that he and his colleagues had only heard of a milk allergy.

That in mind, and after having met a girl with a milder allergy and several reactions, I clung to my bag full of the quickly depleting Milo bars I had brought from Australia, I recorded several items I ate in Bali with a peanut allergy. Keeping in mind I was 5’4″ 110 lbs I would recommed ordering the same safe meal in triple the quanitity.

Day One:

• Milo milk
• Milo bar
• Nachos from Mexican place (Holy Guacamole -Kuta) 
• Pringles
• Half block of cheese from an Indomart
• Watermelon… jack-o-lantern style (this is another example of where those camping untensils come in handy)

Day Two:

• Other half block of cheese
• Milo bar
• 2 oranges
• Pica South American Kitchen (Parm scallops and empanadas)

Day Three:

• Soft Boiled eggs and toast at our Bungalow in Ubud
• Fruit
• Cool coffees and tea
• Milo bar
• Young coconut & meat
• Barcelona Tapas (potato tot things, garlic prawns and seafood paella)
• Frozen yogurt  

Day Four:

• Elephant park* buffet (scrambled eggs, and about 7 crescent rolls)
• Mamma Mia’s Italian Ubud (ravioli)
• Bintang Beer
  *never go there….

Day Five:

• Banana Crepe
• Shin bowl instant noodles
• Toro Sushi Ubud (very familiar with peanut allergies.. Miso soup and soy sauce was potentially not safe)

Day Six:

• Boiled eggs and toast
• Milo bar
• Corn on the cob
• Gloria Jean’s fettuccini (Canggu)
• Fabulous Greek salad (BOBs bistro)

Day Seven:

• Surf Café (Kuta) (onion rings quesadilla)
• Capil Beach Grill & Bar in Seminyak  We had pizza and 10 rip-off nachos at this pricy joint. Do not plan a trip to Asia with a Peanut allergy and not expect to pay a premium for food – regrettably, no street vendors or mom and pop stops are part of this cultural experience

Day Eight:

• Fran’s Bread rolls (brand)
• Dutch cookies
• Roasted Corn (sold on the beaches)
• Susheria 

The NEW Problem with Eating Cheese for Nut Allergies.

This used to be my go-to travel solution. I went to Bali with the backup plan of buying cheese at grocery stores for survival, naively not considering this might have been a nation still relying on daily food markets rather than supermarkets and refrigeration.

Due to the many new Vegan Cheeses on the market, it is no longer safe to simply opt for a block which you do not recognize.

The Flight

Cheese from a indomart in Kuta. I had Mcdonald’s in Dubai which is something I would never do now — it was safe and I had always wanted to try any international Maccas but it was unwise to eat anything unknown before a transatlantic flight

EDIT: In recent years I’ve found it unwise to eat anything I didn’t pack from home after leaving my house and until well after I land.