EXPAND

Look at that pancake with its margarine scoop. Just look at it.

Kathryn DeBruler

It is noon on a Sunday and a line is predictably snaking its way from Jonathons Oak Cliff. People drive for miles to have their chicken and waffles, making Jonathons more than a place to simply consume brunch, but rather a brunch destination.

But if you keep walking down North Beckley Avenue a few more paces, you will quickly find yourself stumbling upon another restaurant with another, albeit smaller, line. This one doesnt spill out onto the street but instead takes the form of people biding their time on benches inside. These patrons are waiting to be seated at Spiral Diner, the vegan eatery that has built an ardent following over the 14 years it has been in operation.

This is the Lumberjack and it's more than okay. It's vegan all night, and it's vegan all day.

Kathryn DeBruler

For those whose suspicions are aroused by restaurants that only serve plant-based foods (and the people who choose to eat them), picture this. Spiral Diner is a happy place. It has the look of a '50s diner tin ceilings, Formica tables thats collided with a candy store, with its enthusiastic embrace of springy, youthful colors.

If you fear vegan restaurants because of a stereotyped (but also semi-accurate) perception of the people who work there as militant vegans who will throw red paint on your Cole Haan loafers, fear not. Spiral Diner is staffed by people who may be collectively described as hip but also nonthreatening. They wont mention your leather shoes, but they will ask you how you like the pancakes.

And yes, Spiral serves pancakes. And quesadillas. And biscuits and gravy. So if you fear vegan food because of its foreignness, fear not. Spiral Diners brunch menu is all about the familiar faces.

It's also all about the tofu scramble. Every dish on the menu, save for the pancakes and disco home fries more on these later features tofu scramble in some way. Now before you complain about tofu being foreign, just know that tofu scramble has the consistency and appearance of scrambled eggs but the taste of something that has been kissed by a turmeric-loving God that wants us to eat well and live for a long, long time.

Spiral Diner will make you a dang quesadilla.

Kathryn DeBruler

Spiral Diner elevates the humble scramble to new, cumin-scented heights. The tofu is scrambled with a generous hand of spices, bits of potato and other veggies, which provide a nice textural breath between the monotone mouth-feel afforded by the tofu. One dish that brings the scramble into its fold is the breakfast quesadilla ($10.95). Here youll find the scramble tucked into a whole-wheat tortilla along with a smattering of vegetables and peppers, vegan sausage and Daiya cheese. Daiya cheese is akin to American in that it has that distinctly silken texture when melted that can only arise from being highly processed. The overall effect is a quesadilla that is exceedingly rich yet virtuous.

That whiplash between indulgence and altruism continued with an order of the disco fries ($4.95). These friespresent the eater with a rare opportunity to feel both the delight of not perpetuating a pattern of systematic animal exploitation and also the unbridled joy of eating poutine. Its true that the gravy has a slightly mottled, broken appearance and tastes subtly and oddly of vanilla, but one can only expect so much when cow udders have been spared.

The disco home fries are proof that veganism and weight loss can be mutually exclusive.

Kathryn DeBruler

The gravy captures that creamy, rich, artery-painting quality of traditional gravy just the same. Its particularly enjoyable when served on a couple of the diners sky-high biscuits, which manage both a hearty chew and a delicate crumb. Paired with a couple of herbaceous and toothsome sausages with a bit of scramble(the Lumberjack, $9.95), this is the kind of food that, despite its ingredient list, doesnt shy far from grandmas table.

But if youre going to order one item only from Spirals brunch menu, let it be the pancakes. Light with nutty crumb, these cinnamon-studded beauties, when drizzled with a bit of golden agave nectar, are divine. A true, well-made pancake if there ever were one.

Spiral Diner is a vegan restaurant, yes. And in our steak-adoring city, its nice to have an option for those who have chosen an animal product-free path. But in truth, Spiralis simply a restaurant a place which can readily accommodate the majority of palates.And Spiral Diner has demonstrated what perhaps all of us omnivores, vegetarians and vegans alike always secretly knew, that Horace Mann is full of crock: Biscuits and gravy are the great equalizers.

Spiral Diner, 1101 N Beckley Ave. Brunch served 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Here is the original post:

After All These Years, Spiral Diner's Vegan Brunch Is Still Better Than Most Meaty Dallas Options - Dallas Observer

San Franciscos plant-based food maker Hampton Creek has announced that it will now produce animal-free meat, joining the clean meat arms race of companies trying to produce lab-grown animal-matter meat, without the animal. CEO Josh Tetrick announced the plans on LinkedIn, writing that he hopes to get products in the marketplace by 2018.

The Bay Area has become ground zero for technology and food companies developing both lab-grown meat and plant-based meat alternatives. That includes Hampton Creeks now-direct competitor Memphis Meats, the San Leandro meat hopeful that has previously said they plan to get lab-grown meat on retailer shelves by 2021. Meanwhile, plant-based Impossible Foods is already serving its meatless, bleeding Impossible Burgers around San Francisco, on the menu at high-end restaurants like Jardiniere and Cockscomb; its also opened a large East Oakland production facility to hasten the product to supermarket shelves.

The movement towards lab-grown meats, which are grown in-vitro from cell cultures harvested from living animals, has been embraced by the vegan community, hailing it as the beginning of the end for abusive animal ag industries. In his LinkedIn post, Tetrick emphasizes that the impetus for the companys research is less about animal rights and more about creating an environmentally sustainable and accessible food system for the planet. At current rates, production of meat and seafood around the world will double to 1.2 trillion pounds by 2050, he writes. Our planet cannot afford to supply the water, fuel, pesticides, and fertilizer that industrialized animal production requires. It cant afford the polluted water or the biodiversity loss. It cant afford the moral inconsistencies.

While Tetrick touts Hampton Creeks scientific discoveries, others have questioned them. In 2015, unhappy Hampton Creek employees told Business Insider that Tetrick had overstated the companys scientific claims, inflating the number of plant samples used, taking credit for recipes created by consultants rather than in the Hampton Creek lab, and celebrating dubious breakthroughs. A major investor joined Hampton Creek as chief strategy officer, only to cut ties with the company completely just nine days later.

Tetrick places the blame for most of Hampton Creeks controversies on powerful companies and lobbies like Hellmann's Mayonnaise, who unsuccessfully sued the company for improper use of the word mayonnaise on an egg-free product. (Will the famously litigious chicken and beef industries follow suit?) More recently, Target began to remove Hampton Creek products from its stores over concerns regarding unconfirmed allegations of salmonella and listeria, as well as labeling issues. After hiring a third party firm to investigate, Hampton Creek says the findings proved the allegations to be false.

Updated 12:40 p.m. to more accurately reflect the nature of Hampton Creeks alternative meat products. Theyre developing lab-grown meat, not developing a plant-based fake-meat product.

Read the original post:

Vegan Mayo Maker Hampton Creek Joins the Lab-Grown Meat Arms Race - Eater SF

Written by Zachary Toliver | June 28, 2017

We here at PETA just finished watching the Netflix original movie Okja, andmy goodnessbe still our beating vegan hearts. If you havent seen it yet, be sure to tune in (mild spoilers ahead).

Directed by Snowpiercers Bong Joon Ho and starring Ahn Seo-hyun, Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, and Jake Gyllenhaal, this animal-rights action-adventure follows Mija, a young girl who must risk everything to prevent the powerful multinational meat company Mirando from slaughtering her best frienda massive super pig hybrid named Okja.

Along the way, Mija becomes mixed up with a group of heroic (and often humorous) animal rights activistsled by the character Jay, played by the dashing Paul Danowho work to expose the corrupt Mirando Company.

Like many people and their animal companions, Mija and Okja share an unconditional love. They sacrifice their own well-being for one another. The playfulness and companionship of Okja is a firm reminder to viewers thatjust like usanimals are individuals who are capable of emotions and have personalities and a will to live. They form families and friendships when given the chance.

For inspiration in creating the computer-generated character of Okja, Bong looked to three real-life animals: dogs, pigs, and manatees. Okjas eyes alone exude all the emotion and intensity of any real-life being.

WithOkjaI want to show the beauty that can exist between man and animal, and also the horror between them, said director Bong.

This film reaches its climax in the confines of a concentration camp-like factory farm where hundreds of other Okjas are being slaughtered, mimicking the bloody everyday reality for cows, pigs, chickens, and other animals around the globe. The scenes are intentionally realistic and disturbing, as Bong thought it would be a disservice to the movie if they were watered down.

Its revealed that Mirando gave out these super pigs to farmers around the world to be raised humanely and naturally as a publicity stunt to cover up the horrific reality of animal slaughter.

Sounds an awful like the humane meat lie, doesnt it?

During a news conference for Okja, Swinton spoke to the heart of this film:

I live outnumbered by animals. You can read them as a lesson to all of us on how to liveloyalty patience, presence, love of a good walk, catching a ball, whatever. The feeling of dedication and simplicity that animals can teach us.

Its a very important directive at a time when capitalism is really upping its game to trick us that we are more consumers than sentient beings, more than people who love each other. We have to guard against these tricks. And I think the film offers a corrective against this trickery.

This film keeps the characters in near-constant motion, and your feels will move just as much! Props are in order to Bong Joon Ho and Netflix, which has hosted numerous great animal rights films such as Blackfish and Cowspiracy!

Like dogsand Okja!pigs are friendly, loyal creatures who are playful and affectionate. Theyre intelligent, and they love to snuggle. But on factory farms, theyre denied everything thats natural and important to them. Just like the heartache that Mija feels when Okja is ripped away from her, mother pigs experience this every time that theyre denied the opportunity to nurture their young. Mother cows also grieve and cry out as their babies are routinely ripped away from them shortly after birth so that their milk can go to humans.

Pigs on factory farms never get to take a breath of fresh air, and extreme crowding and filth cause rampant disease. Mother pigs are kept in tiny, barren crates so small that they cant even turn around. The tails of piglets are cut off, their teeth are clipped, and male pigs are castratedall without any painkillers.

Their brief lives end when these sensitive animals are hung upside down and their throats are slit, often while still fully conscious.

Anyone whos inspired by Okja and horrified by the suffering that real pigs endure for the meat industry can help animals in their own lives by simply not eating them. With many delicious recipes to choose from and dining-out tips, our vegan starter kit makes it easier than ever to make the switch.

I Want Your Free Vegan Starter Kit Today!

I Want to Order Your Vegan Starter Kit for a Friend!

See original here:

We'll Send You Our Vegan Starter Kit. You'll Need One After Watching 'Okja' - PETA (blog) (press release)

In his new book, Food Fight: My Plant-Powered Journey From the Bingo Halls to the Big Time, professional WWE wrestler Austin Aries questions everything, especially whats on our plates.

Its easy now to look back and see that Aries was destined for the spotlight. Athletic all through school, Aries (born Daniel Healy Solwold Jr.) also loved performing singing and dancing. He also didnt subscribe to the traditional rules of success. Aries felt there was another way to be successful, that there might be something cooler than working a traditional 9-to-5 desk job once out of school.

He was right, of course, and his career as pro wrestler and colorful commentator is proof that his charisma and athleticism have outlasted the pressures of the structured school-work-family dogma. Aries, known as The Vascular Vegetarian and The Greatest Man That Ever Lived, is the longest reigning Ring of Honour World Champion and Tag Team World Champion, as well as the TNA (Total Nonstop Action) World Heavyweight Champion. He is one of only five wrestlers to have won the Wrestling Triple Crown (world champion, tag team, and secondary singles championship). And, hes vegan.

Rules dont apply to Aries, at least, not when it comes to how he looks at the world. This unwavering self-inquiry and propensity to question the system not only led Aries to look deeper into his career options and design the perfect career for himself, but it also led him to something we often take for granted: food. But for Aries, it was a tipping point the ultimate system to question.

Food kind of intersected with that for me, Aries says.

While many people who adopt a vegan lifestyle had special bonds with pets as a child, that wasnt the case for Aries. It was more the typical midwest lifestyle that rubbed him wrong Aries grew up in Wisconsin where hunting and fishing were the norm. And that is where Aries felt a disconnect.

It just seemed wrong to take a life when you didnt have to, he says. Its a learned behavior. I dont need to do that.

But, of course, as a professional athlete, Aries ate the way athletes are supposed to eat: whey protein shakes, steaks, and chicken. Lots and lots of chicken. That is, until he had a wake-up call early on in his wrestling career.

I was subscribing to conventional wisdom meat for protein to build muscle, and that chicken is better for me than red meat, he says. I remember the day when I looked at it all and said, This is disgusting. Im done.

It all became clear in that moment in 2000 he says, that the cruelty, the effects on the planet, and the health risks, were inseparable from eating animals. It would be another few years before Aries went from vegetarian to vegan, but he says living this way now is a no-brainer.

We live in a corporate food system that does not have our best interest at heart whatsoever, he says. We need to wake up and educate ourselves.

In his memoir,Aries sheds a lot of light abouthis own transformation, how he started to ask and find answers to the questions weve been discouraged by the corporatization of our food system from asking.

Why would you give corporations and the government the benefit of the doubt? What have they done to earn that trust? he ponders in the book.

Aries is specifically passionate about not just eating a cruelty-free diet, but also one focused on whole foods he snacks on lentils, makes smoothies with bananas, berries, and greens. Like any vegan these days, he enjoys his fair share of pizzas, mac and cheese, and the abundance of delicious plant-based comfort foods, but he says even when indulging in those vegan junk foods, that his diet is rounded out with plenty ofwhole foods, and hes more likely better off than the meat-egg-and-milk-eater who avoids junk food. Thats because the benefits of veganism are a lot like a get out of jail free card. Despite the pressures from our corporate food system to eat animals, loads of sugar, and artificial ingredients, boosting your intake of nutritious plant-based ingredients is the ultimate antidote to those unhealthy foods.

If youre going to navigate your way through all the misinformation being thrown your way as a consumer, you have to learn to see past all the dirty tricks, he writes in the book.And to do that, you need to get a real education about nutritionthe one you should have gotten in school.

Aries adherence to a vegan diet puts him in some excellent company. Some of the worlds best athletes have shifted to a plant-based diet, including David Carter, the former Chicago Bears defensive linemanbest known these days as the 300 Pound Vegan; nine-time Olympic gold medalist track athlete Carl Lewis; theres Heavyweight Boxing Champion Mike Tyson; and Venus Williams, winner of sevenGrand Slam singles tournaments, and one ofonly fourwomen to have wonfiveor more Wimbledon singles titles.

Theres enough data that supports the short and long-term health benefits of a plant-based diet, says Aries. And, its worth it, he says, even if it requires extra effort, the trade-off is pretty clear, and Im performing at every bit the level of the meat-eaters.

Most any professional athlete is paying way more attention to their food intake than the rest of us. Whether theyre boosting protein or fat, or even trimming calories down to shed some weight, theyre tracking and monitoring how and how much food affects their bodies both during competition and in recovery.

All protein comes from plants in its original form, says Aries, and it makes sense the body breaks down amino acids and rebuilds them just the same.

One of the biggest criticisms of the meat industry is just thatthat were routing the vital plant protein through animals at the expense of not just the animal (some 56 billion annually), but our planet and our health. If the goal is to break down and rebuild amino acids that originated from plants, why not just go to the source?

It just doesnt make sense, Aries says.

The nations leading physicians, including the AMA itself, have begun publicly recommending a move away from meat (and eggs and dairy), and focusing more on plant-based options, largely because of the long-term health benefits. Studies have linked vegetarian and vegan diets with increased longevity, reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, and obesity.

Mitigation of climate change is also a significant factor in our health moving forward. A planet in the throes of rising oceans and warming temperatures will not only have devastating effects on our food supply, but also on the quality of the food. Some experts predict climate change could make food less nutritious and more prone to blights and diseases. Livestock production is responsible for at least 18 percent of all greenhouse gases, and a reduction in animal products now is vital to ensuring a safe and abundant food supply in the not-so-distant future.

As Aries travels the world, he sees just how unhealthy the American food system is in comparison to other nations, and also how its influencing the rest of the world to devastating degrees. He worries about kids developing obesity and type-2 diabetes at the hands of a corrupt system pushing them away from real food.

Im just a guy who loves vegetables and loves figuring things out for myself, Aries writes in the disclaimer for Food Fight. Its what pushed him to write the book in the first place, notingthat his status as a public figure and the nature of his lifestyle brings a common cluster of questions he once had himself, like, Where do I get my protein? WillI miss bacon? Is it expensive [to be vegan]?

Questioning all that opens your eyes, he says. We say this food thats everywhere is okay; this is good for me. But it isnt.

Check out Aries new book Food Fight here.

photos byLee South

Find Jill on Twitter and Instagram

Related on Organic Authority

The Vegan Diet Reduces Obesity Risk By Nearly Half, New Research FindsFood Tech Industry Prioritizes Plant-Based and Clean Meats as the Future of FoodMore Plant-Based Foods Coming to Supermarkets With Launch of Retail-Focused Fund

Jill Ettinger is a Los Angeles-based journalist and editor focused on the global food system and how it intersects with our cultural traditions, diet preferences, health, and politics. She is the senior editor for sister websites OrganicAuthority.com and EcoSalon.com, and works as a research associate and editor with the Cornucopia Institute, the organic industry watchdog group. Jill has been featured in The Huffington Post, MTV, Reality Sandwich, and Eat Drink Better. http://www.jillettinger.com.

Read the rest here:

Vegan Pro-Wrestler Austin Aries Dropkicks the Food System in ... - Organic Authority

While being vegan isn't for everyone (the cheese, what would I do without the cheese?) it's got some undeniable benefits. Not only for the sustainability of our food sources, it turns out, but also in terms of our health. And blogger Jen Miller is able to prove it, after she scoured the internet to discover all sorts of scientific research to demonstrate the broad number of ways a plant-based diet can improve a person's health.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

So if you're teetering on the edge of veganism, maybe this will be enough to sway you?

As Jen points out, "many athletes, from tennis players to body builders are now following a vegan diet to improve their performance." This is because a plant-based diet is thought to give people "more energy, fewer aches and better health". And author Julieanna Hever of the book The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition agrees, saying that athletes who follow this kind of diet recover faster and are able to maximise their training to improve their performance.

Universal Pictures

Weight loss can come as a direct result of vegetarianism or veganism because these kinds of diets "tend to be lower in total fat, and vegetarians tend to eat proportionally more polyunsaturated fat to saturated fat compared with non-vegetarians." Jen also notes in her blog post that "animal products are the major sources of dietary saturated fat". This claim about weight loss has also been evidenced in various scientific studies (like this one) which found a greater reduction in body mass in the vegan group when comparing their progress to that of participants with alternative diets.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Nobody likes a migraine, and they can often be directly triggered by a person's food intake. "Most migraine sufferers are advised to avoid certain triggers like chocolate, cheese and alcohol," explains Jen, adding: "But a group of researchers recently found that a low-fat, plant-based diet may be beneficial to sufferers.

"For the study, 42 randomly selected migraineurs ate either a vegan diet, or received a placebo supplement for 26 weeks. Followers of the vegan diet reported a significant decrease in pain, as well as changes in body weight and cholesterol levels."

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Science has proven that a vegan diet can help with stress and anxiety. In her blog post, Jen points to a 2015 study where participants were surveyed on mood, diet, and lifestyle factors, and a correlation was discovered between a healthy vegan diet and lower levels of anxiety.

"This could be because meat based diets are high in arachidonic acid, a saturated omega-6 fatty acid," she suggests in the post, backing this up with another study where 39 omnivores were divided into 3 groups; a control group eating fish, meat and poultry daily; a group that ate fish 3-4 times a week but avoided meat and poultry; and a vegetarian group avoiding all meat, fish and poultry. "After two weeks, results showed that mood scores were unchanged for omnivores and fish eaters, but the vegetarian group showed significantly improved scores."

So if you suffer from PMT, this could be of real benefit to you. As the blogger explains from her research, "our hormones control most of the major body functions, including hunger, reproduction, emotions and mood." Hormones such as oestrogen can also be responsible for causing breast cancer if levels get very high.

Jen explains that animal fats are thought to increase levels of oestrogen (a New York University study found this to be so), but as well as that, people with a plant-based diet "have more of a certain type of carrier molecule called sex hormone binding globulin - or SHBG - which ensures that these hormones remain inactive in the blood until needed." This suggests a vegan diet can control hormone levels, ensuring they don't get too high.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

A study into the population of Kitavan Islanders of Papua New Guinea revealed that not a single one suffered from acne, and their diet is thought to be the reason. This population lives primarily off unprocessed, low-fat plant-foods, so scientists believe there is correlation between this and the non-existence of acne.

Research has also demonstrated that dairy products can lead to acne, as can foods with a high glycaemic load, but a vegan diet eliminates both of these meaning it often improves skin and leads to a brighter complexion.

Who knew there was a direct link between the food we eat and our body odour?! Jen explains it in her post: "Body odour is affected by what is emitted by sweat glands, especially the ones in our armpits. These glands are designed to help us get rid of toxins from the body. The toxins we excrete are what causes body odour, so therefore what we eat directly affects how we smell."

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Red meat is thought to be the primary cause of BO, with other food culprits including manufactured foods lacking fibre and made with processed ingredients, such as white flour, hydrogenated oil and added sugars. These kinds of foods don't tend to exist in a vegan diet.

As we all know, having a healthy BMI increases our chances of living a healthy and long life, reducing the risk of developing various dangerous diseases including heart disease, stroke, bone and joint problems like osteoarthritis, as well as a number of cancers. And according to various studies (like this one and this one), vegans' BMIs were found on average to be lower than groups eating any other diet.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Read Jen's blog post in full here.

Follow Cat on Instagram.

See the rest here:

8 health benefits of going vegan - cosmopolitan.com (UK)

Caption + Potato Potato Food Truck Thursday June 22, 2017. Photo by Jef Kearney. .

Food truck culture is growing across the U.S. and, despite obstacles such as zoning and parking, it's growing in Colorado Springs, too.

Local culinary sleuths are up for the challenge and follow favorite trucks through social media and websites to find their daily and weekly locations. Although none of the current food trucks in the city is fully vegan, a few have solid, plant-based options.

Bison Brothers

I know, I know. A food truck with a meat mission doesn't seem like an obvious choice, but the Bison Brothers food truck serves up one vegan option that is worth the trip: quinoa spring rolls ($6.50). The ancient grain (seed, actually) is cleverly coupled with softened peanuts, offering a meaty bite. Scallions, green pepper and a seasoning combo offer a solid kick and make for a spicy dish tempered well with a dipping sauce of "honey" mustard (they use agave instead of honey to keep it vegan) that cools the fried and spice-filled heat. The two rolls come with a side of chips.

Potato Potato

Potatoes are vegetables, and an entire truck devoted to the spud must be vegan-friendly, right? It is. Potato Potato food truck is best known for its take on Poutine ($8.50) - a traditional Canadian dish starting with French fries and topped with gravy and curds (cheese). Hold the curds, and that super-savory vegetable-based mushroom gravy - vegan as is - gives you all the flavor you'll need. Umami-packed with soy sauce and vinegars, the thick gravy stands up over the hand-cut fries. The generous portion easily makes a meal.

Vore

How's this for an oxymoron? A "grilled cheese gastro-pub" has vegan options - as in, every item on the menu can be made vegan. According to the server at the counter, "We believe a vegan order shouldn't be about subtraction [of ingredients]; it should be about substitutions." The Deep Dish grilled cheese sandwich ($10) features mozzarella, provolone and ham - all vegan thanks to brand-name Chao (cheese) and Tofurky (ham) replacements. The hot sandwich is layered high, Dagwood-style; you've got to love a vegan cheese that melts! Order fried tofu or pickles ($6) for a down-home side.

The world isn't vegan, and that's why it's wonderful that more and more restaurants offer plant-based options. Food trucks are no exception, and the vegan offerings popping up at the four-wheeled dining destinations are a great addition to the vegan scene.

Visit link:

3 Colorado Springs food trucks offer vegan options - Colorado Springs Gazette

The maker of vegan mayonnaise has been working on getting lab-made meat onto dinner tables everywhere. Its just that nobody knew about it.

Hampton Creeka company that built its name on plant-based condiments and vegan-friendly cookie doughstoday revealed that, for the last year, it has been secretly developing the technology necessary for producing lab-made meat and seafood, or as the industry likes to call it, clean meat. Perhaps even more surprising is that Hampton Creek expects to beat its closest competitor to market by more than two years.

By the end of next year, well have something out there on the marketplace, Josh Tetrick, CEO of the company, tells Quartz. Until now, only one of the handful of global startups developing clean meat, Memphis Meats, has openly talked about getting a product to market and that was by 2021.

Since it was founded in 2015, Memphis Meats has raised at least $3 million from five investors for the development of its meat products, according to Crunchbase. By contrast, Hampton Creekjust a 20-mile drive from its Silicon Valley rivalhas raised more than $120 million since 2011. Its one of Silicon Valleys unicornsa company that has a valuation that exceeds $1 billion.

The fact that Hampton Creek has so many resources at its fingertips is very promising for speeding up the commercialization of clean meat, says Paul Shapiro, the author of a forthcoming book on meat alternatives and vice president of policy at the Humane Society of the United States.

Now that Hampton Creek has unveiled itself as the latest entrant in that space, competition to reach consumers first will heat up. And once these products do get to supermarkets, it will open the door for a three-way battle for meat-eater dollars, as consumers will have a choice between three different products:

In the eyes of the people pushing the development of plant-based and clean meat products, this new crop of foods will revolutionize how meat is made and offer a clear path to feeding people across the globe in a way that emits less greenhouse gas and ends animal suffering.

Once we have clean meat that is cost-competitive with animal-based meat, that will be the beginning of the end of all the harms of industrial agriculture, says Bruce Friedrich, who leads the Good Food Institute, which supports and lobbies on behalf of meat alternative companies.

Earlier this month, Beyond Meat made headlines when it announced its plant-based burger patties would be stocked alongside animal products in meat cases at more than 200 Safeway grocery stores. Until then, it was sold mostly in the meat sections at Whole Foods Market locations. Getting into a mainstream supermarket chain was a significant step for the company, and a testament to the tenacity of Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown, whod spent years trying to convince grocery chains to carry his product.

Hampton Creek already sells its vegan condiments and cookie doughs at Walmart, Whole Foods, and other major chains, something that will assist the company as it attempts to get its clean meat products into mainstream stores. That will be very helpful, as opposed to starting all these relationships from scratch, Tetrick says. We happen to already be thereand not just in retail, but also in food service.

With that kind of entree into the consumer market, Tetrick says he also expects large traditional meat companies will potentially want to become significant investors. Were talking to a number of them right now all across the world, he says. Id expect one or two of these partnerships to cross the finish line [soon].

More money and product demand means it wont be long before Hampton Creek looks to expand, adding to its already large, 59-person research and development division. The company says it will be looking to add chemists, tissue engineers, stem cell biologists, and more.

It will need them, because one of the biggest reasons its so hard to get lab-made meat to market is because its really difficult to affordably make enough product to meet demand. Just a pound of clean meatgrown inside high-tech industrial vatscan easily cost thousands of dollars. A pound of lab-made beef would have cost $1.2 million per pound to sell in 2013. In four years, the price of lab-grown meat has fallen by 99%but its still higher than your usual animal-reared meat.

Thats partially because its tough to get a steady supply of one particular ingredient: fetal bovine serum, which is blood extracted from the fetuses of pregnant cows.

Until now, scientists working on clean meat have depended upon having access to that serum. Once its added into the vats along with meat cells and other ingredients, the serum triggers the cells to reproduce. But Hampton Creek says its scientists are investigating other ways to trigger cells to reproduce, by replacing the cow blood with nutrients coming from plants, according to Viviane Lanquar, the director of Hampton Creeks biochemistry division.

Still, theres a lot of work left to complete before the company is ready to sell a product, Tetrick says, likening the process to a creating a top-notch electric car. Just because youve nailed the battery doesnt mean youve nailed the electric car, he says. He refused to divulge more about his product.

Among the many challenges ahead for lab-made meat companies is trying to figure out how to achieve the Holy Grail of fake meat: creating a cut of meat that has the same texture, taste, and appearance of a steak. As of now, companies are able to make tiny pieces of meat, which when mixed together can be treated and used as a ground meat product. Producing a slab of meat will take more time and engineering.

Read this next: How the vegan movement broke out of its echo chamber and finally started disrupting things

Read the original:

Vegan-mayo startup Hampton Creek is producing lab-made meat ... - Quartz

Vegan burgers

18 servings

7 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large onions, chopped (4 cups)

2 pounds white or cremini mushrooms

4 cups cooked black (preferably) or brown rice (use vegetable broth homemade or store-bought, not water)

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons white miso

1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

3 to 3 cups vital wheat gluten (see tips)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add 4 tablespoons of the oil. Once the oil shimmers, add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and well browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the onions to a large mixing bowl. Wipe out the skillet but no need to wash it; youll be using it again soon.

Rinse the mushrooms and use dish towels to dry them thoroughly. Trim and coarsely chop them, then transfer to a food processor. Puree, working in batches, and add them to the onions as you work.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Add the rice, soy sauce, tomato paste, ketchup, white miso, dried basil, pepper, thyme and liquid smoke to the mixing bowl, blending them in thoroughly with your clean hands. Sprinkle the wheat gluten evenly over the mix. Immediately and vigorously work in the gluten, again using your hands. (Gluten starts to set up almost instantly when it comes into contact with moisture, so work as fast and as thoroughly as you can.) The mixture will very quickly change texture and become stretchy. If the mixture seems too wet and not stretchy enough, sprinkle on a more wheat gluten, 1/4 cup at a time, and knead it in until the desired texture is achieved.

Use a heaping 1/2 cup of the mixture to form patties about 1/2 inch thick, arranging them on baking sheets as you work. Bake until they firm up slightly, about 20 minutes (see tips).

Set your skillet over medium-high heat, then add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil shimmers, use a spatula to gently transfer three or four patties to the pan (working in batches, as needed) and cook until the undersides are dark brown and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip them carefully and repeat.

Note: Vital wheat gluten, by companies such as Bobs Red Mill and Arrowhead Mills, can be found in natural foods stores and some Whole Foods Markets, or online.

Tips: In testing, we found that the burgers held better together when baked first, then pan-fried, but you can skip the pan-frying step for the burgers you want to make immediately, then bake the remainder before refrigerating or freezing for another time.

Make ahead: The uncooked burger mixture can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. The formed, baked patties can be individually wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 1 year; reheat them in the microwave or pan-fry them.

Nutrition per burger: 260 calories, 18 g protein, 33 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 350 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 4 g sugar

Adapted from Vegan Food for the Rest of Us Recipes Even You Will Love, by Ann Hodgman

More here:

The reluctant vegan - Marin Independent Journal

It seems increasingly obvious that thefuture of foodisplant-based, and many consumers are making a switch toplant-based dietsfor bothhealthand ethical concerns. Businesses are catching on to thegrowing demand for vegan options, and even severalfast food restaurantshave added plant-based alternatives to their menus. Restaurants with entirely plant-based menus, like the hugely popular California chain,Veggie Grill, have also been sprouting up like wildflowers, providing healthy options for the 30 percent of Americans who are trying to leave meat off the menu more frequently.

Now, the restaurant chain,BurgerFi, is joining the trend by adding the world-famous Beyond Burger, the vegan burger that bleeds, to eight of their locations, including in Malibu, Philadelphia, and New York City. BurgerFi already carries aveggie burger, but theBeyond Burgeris no ordinary veggie burger it sizzles on the grill and changes from a light pink color to a crispy brown when cooked. Those who have tried itsayit is like biting into a beef burger, in both texture and flavor.

The new Beyond Burger option will be available at BurgerFi beginningJuly 3, 2017, and the chain is planning to add it to all of its locations by the end of summer.Corey Winograd, chief executive of BurgerFi, explainedto the NY Times why they chose to make this addition, stating, Ive now come to understand that theres a growing number of semi-vegetarian people who want a primarily plant-based diet, and since we want to appeal to 100 percent of consumers out there, we have to have something for them.

We are thrilled to see a large burger chain add a vegan option to their menu that will appeal to a broad array of consumers. With delicious meat-alternatives like the Beyond Burger (and the rest of theBeyond Meatproducts and other brands like Gardein) readily available to consumers, its quickly becoming clear that meat doesnt have to be made with animals.

If youre looking to cut back on your meat consumption for the benefit of the planet, animals, and your own health check out One Green Planets #EatForThePlanet campaign.

Image Source: Beyond Meat/Facebook

See the rest here:

The Vegan Burger That Cooks Like Meat is Coming to NYC and Philadelphia Restaurants This Summer - One Green Planet

Tuesday, June 27, 2017 at 12:42 p.m.

Kids use buttercream to decorate their cupcakes.

Bunnie Studios

In February 2013, Mariana Cortez opened Miamis first vegan bakery, Bunnie Cakes. Now she continues her love of dairy-free sweets with the debut of Bunnie Cakes Studio, where customers can design their own desserts.

The studio, located behind the bakery in Wynwood, is a whimsical place where guests decorate cakes and cupcakes to their hearts' content. They can design their own creations or receive instruction on how to make classic Bunnie designs such as the unicorn cake in VIP decorating sessions. "We provide everything you need to make your own masterpiece, including the icing, rolling pin, and all sorts of decorations," Cortez says.

Sticking to her vegan baking philosophy, Cortez assures that everything in the studio is kosher and vegan. Gluten-free options are also available.

Customers decorate cupcakes.

Bunnie Studios

The classes are mainly geared toward children but are also open to anyone who's a kid at heart. "I have four kids, and this is a great way to keep them occupied and allow them to get creative, Cortez says.

The one-hour sessions vary in price. Decorating six large vegan cupcakes costs $25; add $3 for the gluten-free option.Decorating a five-inch triple-layer cake runs $34 if vegan and $38 if also gluten-free. There's an additional $10 studio fee for either option and a maximum of two guests per package.

In July, the studio will also begin to hold birthday parties, where hosts can choose from ten themes. "Kids will be able to come in with up to 20 friends, and we will teach them how to decorate their cakes as well as provide the food and decorations for the party,"Cortez says. Bunnie Cakes Studio will also offer a full catering menu for the in-house events.

Cupcake design in progress.

Bunnie Studios

Cortez says she hopes to expand the studio by offering workshops to teach baking basics as well as crafts, such as how to make her sought-after piatas. Participants will even be able to earn badges on their aprons as they continue taking classes.

Bunnie Cakes Studio 180 NE 24th St., Miami; 305-364-5082. Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Read more here:

Bunnie Cakes Studio Lets You Decorate Your Own Cupcakes - Miami New Times