Call BOSH! a sensation is more of an understatement. Since Sheffield-born friends Ian Theasby and Henry Firth founded the herbal brand, it has gained two billion social media views and three million followers.
This was followed by an ITV series, a supermarket range and four bestselling cookbooks, which were sold in eight languages in 60 countries.
The couple that BOSH! in 2016 while living together decided to go vegan at a similar time. With a background in apps, they had a knack for creating incisive, fun, and most importantly, actionable recipe videos, and entered the arena when the plant-based diet was about to explode.
“We don’t bring a traditional vegan perspective,” says Firth. “Our friends and families are all meat-eaters, so we still have that tone.” They focus on how to avoid meat, not why, which they think is more attractive. “Veganism is becoming less of something to cling to, like a religion, and more of something to dip your toe in and out of, and that’s where the biggest change will happen.”
Each of her five cookbooks is devoted to a topic related to veganism: for example, plant-based classics or how to eat healthily. The latest, BOSH! On a shoestring, trying to prove that plant-based food doesn’t just have to be reserved for the wealthy.
For Firth, “the heart of the vegan diet are the foods we should all eat: fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains”. When vegetable dinners move to the other end of the market, highly processed meat substitutes, costs go up.
The key to vegan cooking is layering the flavors. “Meat has this complex umami taste,” says Firth. “You can do that by choosing vegetables. Mushrooms or eggplants make the umami hit. Then you start layering things like soy sauce, nutritional yeast, or marmite. There are so many tools you can use to build up flavor and prepare a delicious dish. “
Recipes from BOSH! on a Budget by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby (HarperCollins, £ 16.99). Order your copy from The Telegraph Bookshop.
This recipe is super simple, but incredibly effective. Deliciously tender mushrooms in a rich, flavorful sauce with wonderfully mild flavor. Serve with rice, mashed potatoes or pasta for a great, warming and calming meal!
