Henry Firth and Ian Theasby tell Prudence Wade about their mission to make plant-based eating simpler for everyone.

Veganism has been on something of a PR rollercoaster in recent years. Not that long ago, it was the remit of shoeless hippies, then as it crept closer to the mainstream, it was seized by the young, white and rich of Instagram.

But why shouldn’t it be for everyone? That’s what Henry Firth and Ian Theasby, the duo behind BOSH!, think. They aren’t here to take down Insta-vegans, nor are they fighting meat-eaters. Instead, they just want to show people that the plant-based lifestyle can be easy, tasty, and totally non-judgemental.

BOSH! started life as a wildly popular online video series, and now the pals and business partners are taking the next step with a cookbook.

Theasby became vegan first, and says: “To be honest, it wasn’t easy to begin with, but it has proven to be the best thing I’ve ever done.”

In response to this, Firth jokes: “I thought it was ridiculous! We were living together at the time and I was eating a lot of meat. I remember him cooking these disgraceful curries and telling me they were vegan - they didn’t look appealing at all.”

However, it didn’t take long for Firth to get involved.

The former Sheffield school friends had worked together before, and decided their newest venture would be vegan cooking - and so BOSH! was born in 2016.

“People who eat vegan are wonderful people who are doing so out of compassion, and that can never be a bad thing,” notes Firth, discussing the negative public image veganism’s sometimes associated with.

For Firth, the real problem is the media.

“Right now, it makes great headlines to talk about vegans and people whose families have been farming for generations clashing,” he says.

Unlike many Insta-vegans, the guys are far from militant.

“We’re not advocates for the whole world going vegan, we just want people to eat more plants. That’s our message,” Firth states simply.

Thankfully, they’re not alone in wanting to help give veganism a new - more relatable - name. “I think more and more, it’s fine to be vegan, to have a vegan meal, and to be friends with vegans. Lots of athletes and celebrities are plant-based, like Lewis Hamilton, Miley Cyrus, Serena Williams and Zac Efron,” Firth says.

“I think the fact neither of us are traditionally trained chefs has really resonated with our channel and helped us grow, because it’s what you would call everyday food.

“It’s not some fancy-schmancy salad with quinoa and silly ingredients you can only buy in Wholefoods, it’s just normal food.”

  • BOSH! by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby is published by HQ, HarperCollins in hardback on April 19, priced £20.

Bosh!’s cauliflower buffalo wings

Ingredients: (Serves 2-4) 1 large head of cauliflowe 150g plain flour 300ml plant-based milk 2tsp garlic powder 1tsp onion powder 1tsp ground cumin 1tsp paprika 1/2tsp salt 1/4tsp black pepper 100g panko breadcrumbs 120g dairy-free butter 200g buffalo hot sauce

For the ranch sauce: 150g cashew nuts 150ml plant-based milk 1 tbsp lemon juice 2tsp garlic powder 3/4tsp salt 1/4tsp black pepper handful fresh parsley 4 chives

Method: 1. Add the cashew nuts to a pan of boiling water and boil for 15 minutes, then strain and run under cold water to cool slightly. Set aside until needed later.

2. Meanwhile, break the cauliflower into florets and cut the stem into bite-sized pieces.

3. Put the flour, plant-based milk, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper into a bowl and whisk to a batter. Pour the panko breadcrumbs into another bowl and rub them between your thumb and fingers to break into slightly smaller breadcrumbs.

4. Tip the cauliflower into the batter and toss to coat. Transfer to the bowl of breadcrumbs, a few pieces at a time, and toss gently until well coated. Spread the cauliflower pieces over some lined baking trays and bake for 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, melt the dairy-free butter in the microwave and stir in the hot sauce.

6. After 20 minutes, remove the tray from the oven, pour over the hot sauce and carefully roll the cauliflower around until the pieces are fully coated. Put the tray back in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until a sharp knife glides into the thickest parts of the cauliflower and the outsides are really golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven.

7. While the cauliflower is cooking, put all the ingredients for the ranch sauce, except for the herbs, into the food processor or liquidiser and whizz for one to two minutes until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a serving bowl. Finely chop the parsley and chives and add most of them to the sauce, reserving a little for garnish.

8. Serve the cauliflower wings while they’re still hot on a serving plate, sprinkled with the remaining herbs and with the ranch dip on the side.

Bosh!'s Spanish beach churros

Ingredients: (Serves 12-15) 215g sugar 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1.5L plus 2tbsp vegetable oil (preferably flavourless, like sunflower) 500ml water 1/2tsp salt 1/2tsp vanilla extract 240g plain flour For the chocolate sauce: 100g dark chocolate 185ml plant-based milk 40g sugar 1/2tsp vanilla extract

Method: 1. First, make the chocolate sauce. Break up the chocolate and put it into the small saucepan with the plant-based milk, sugar and vanilla. Stir to a smooth sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl and set aside. Next, sprinkle 115g of the other batch of sugar, along with the cinnamon, over a large plate and set aside.

2. If you are using disposable piping bags, pile them up and roll them together to make one thick cone (a single bag is likely to split). Cut a small hole at the tip, insert the piping nozzle and push it all the way down to the bottom so that it sticks out of the hole. Spray or brush the inside of the bag with a little oil. If you are using a reusable bag, insert the nozzle and coat lightly with oil.

3. Pour the 1.5 litres of oil into the large saucepan so that it comes a third of the way up the sides of the pan. Heat the oil to about 180°C, or until a wooden spoon dipped into the oil sizzles around the edges.

4. Meanwhile, put the water, the remaining 100g sugar, the two tablespoons of vegetable oil, salt and vanilla extract into the medium saucepan and place on a high heat. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, add the flour and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until it forms a thick, sticky dough (you’ll need to use a little elbow grease). Spoon the mixture into the piping bag.

5. Pipe six churros onto the lined baking tray, each one about 10-15cm long. Carefully transfer the churros to the hot oil (if you’re feeling brave, you can pipe them straight into the oil, but be careful!). Fry for eight to 10 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Use a wooden spoon to move them around if they stick together.

6. Remove the churros with a slotted spoon and lay on the kitchen paper for one minute to drain. While they’re still hot, transfer to the cinnamon-sugar plate and roll until completely covered. Repeat with the remaining dough - you may need three or four batches. Serve with chocolate sauce on the side for people to pour over if they wish.