Going vegan is one of the most positive steps you can take. Celebrities, nutritionists and millions of others have gone vegan, recognising it’s kinder to their health, the planet and, of course, animals. Just about every food made from dairy products or eggs has a cruelty-free alternative, and with those products easily available in high Going vegan means opening up your kitchen to a more exciting eating experience, experimenting with world cuisines that aren't centred on meat. Vegan food is delicious, nutritious and so much easier to make than you'd imagine.

Christmas Savoury Strudel
•    3 tbsp olive oil
•    2 onions peeled and chopped
•    2-3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
•    2 x 400g (14oz) cans tomatoes
•    1 tsp dried basil
•    90ml (3fl oz) red wine
•    225g (8oz) button mushrooms sliced
•    sea salt & fresh ground black pepper
•    275g (10oz) filo pastry
•    100g (4oz) olive oil - for brushing pastry
•    90g (3½ oz) roasted cashew nuts, roughly chopped (alternatively use pecan or pine nuts)

1.    Heat the 3 tbsp of oil in a large saucepan, add the onions, cover and cook for about 10 mins until tender but not browned. Add the garlic, tomatoes with their liquid, basil and wine. Simmer gently uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid has disappeared and mixture is quite thick - about 20 mins. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 15 mins or until all liquid has boiled away. Mixture must be quite dry. Season and allow to cool.
2.    When cool assemble the strudel with defrosted filo. Use filo approx 12" x 8" which can go in the average oven tray/sheet. Set oven at mark 200c/400f/Gas 6 if cooking straight away.
3.    Brush tray with olive oil, put the first layer of filo on the tray and brush with oil, sprinkle a third of the nuts on; lay on top another sheet of filo brushed with oil and sprinkled with nuts. Repeat a third time. Add a fourth layer of filo, brush with oil and put on tomato/mushroom mixture and spread out. Roll the whole thing up like a swiss roll.
4.    Bake for approx 30 mins until golden brown.
5.    Serve with port wine sauce and your favourite Christmas veggies.

Red Wine Sauce
•    1 onion, sliced
•    1 clove of garlic, minced
•    10 button mushrooms, quartered
•    1 tsp dried basil
•    1/4 pint vegetarian stock (when you make it up, also mix in 1 tsp flour)
•    splash of vegan Worcester sauce
•    1 tbsp tomato puree
•    3/4 pint red wine
•    2 tbsp olive oil
•    black pepper to season

1.    Fry the garlic and onion until soft.
2.    Add the mushrooms and continue to fry for about a minute.
3.    Mix in all the other ingredients, stir well, bring to the boil and leave to simmer for about one hour. The longer you leave it the more flavoursome it becomes.