Metro

Miiro the new vegan ice lollies that are sweetened with grapes Metro But if you're vegan, your options are somewhat limited when it comes to frozen treats. Sure, you've got sorbets but who wants to be relegated to just eating those for the rest of their life? If you've been missing frozen lollies of the creamier ...

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Miiro the new vegan ice lollies that are sweetened with grapes - Metro

A plant-based diet is increasingly becoming recognized as a healthier alternative to a diet laden with meat. In recent years veganism has become one of the most popular diets, endorsed by many celebrities and members of the medical community. Going vegan has many benefits for us and our environment.

Here are 20 of the most important health benefits of going vegan:

Scientists have been talking for years about the effects of greenhouse gas emissions on our atmosphere and planet. Now, more than ever, the need to find solutions for these problems has become urgent.

One of the ways in which we can help is by switching to a plant based diet. A study conducted by Oxford Martin School concluded that by switching to diets that rely on on vegetables rather than meat, up to 8 million lives could be saved by 2050, and greenhouse gas emission could be reduced by two thirds.

To assess the health and environmental impacts of imbalanced diets, researchers modeled four different dietary scenarios for the year 2050. These included a scenario based on the way we eat today; another scenario based on global dietary guidelines which include minimum amounts of fruit and vegetables and limits the amount of red meat, sugar and calories; and a vegan and vegetarian scenario conforming to dietary guidelines.

They found that adopting a vegan diet could reduce the number of annual deaths by 8.1 million per year by 2050. This was greater than a vegetarian diet, which reduced the number of deaths by 7.3 million, and the global dietary guidelines which reduced deaths by 5.1 million annually.

A vegan diet doesnt only benefit individuals, it also benefits the planet. The study projects that by 2050, following vegan diet guidelines could reduce food related greenhouse gas emissions by 70%.

Bottom Line: A vegan diet helps you live longer and benefits the planet too.

More:

20 Health Benefits of Going Vegan (+6 Delicious Vegan Recipes) - South Florida Reporter

Sometimes, the mistakes we make in the kitchen lead to our biggest successes. Most stories regarding the history of fudge, for example, allude to the fact that it resulted from a caramel-making accident. Similarly, plant-based company Louisville Vegan Jerky Company happened by accident. According to a feature onVice, six years ago, founder of Louisville Vegan Jerky Company, Stanley Chase III was working out of his vegan food truck when a mishap lead to most of his plant-based meats getting burnt to a crisp. Rather than toss the batch, Chase tasted it and he discovered that the flavor had not changed much, but the texture was similar to the crisp, savory, and smoky combination of flavors that he missed since cutting meat out of his diet. From this one mistake, Chases hand-crafted vegan jerky company was born. Today, you can find bags of the companys vegan jerky in stores across the country.

The company has been so successful, Chase told Insider Louisville we get emails every week asking where our storefront is. He continued,Thats where the conversation started. What if we had a storefront? Once I get an idea in my head, I cant stop thinking about it, and obsessing about it, and writing stuff out, and drawing it, and planning it. Chases dream of opening up a brick-and-mortar location will soon berealized and on May 2, 2017, when Morels Cafe, a restaurant that may never have happened if not for one little mistake, opens its doors.

The cafe will feature a deli case where you can order options like Buffalo chicken dip by the pound as well as comfort food sandwich options like plant-based Philly cheesesteaks, muffulettas, and other vegan comfort food options that Chase believes Louisville is lacking compared to other cities. In addition to that, Chase hopes to elevate other brands that are making waves in the plant-based food space with innovative products. I wanna feature something Beyond Meatis making, I wanna feature something Tofurky is making, I wanna feature something Miyoko is making. These are people whoare putting all their energy into one thing and doing it really, really well, said Chase.

The cafe will also feature store-exclusive jerky flavors from Louisville Vegan Jerky Company, so it might be time to start planning your trip to Derby City for the vegan food.

Of course, if you cant make it to Louisville, you can make your own vegan comfort food with the help of theFood Monster App(available for bothiPhone and Android). This recipe app featuresover 8,000 vegan recipes, has plenty of options for classics like Sloppy Joes, Philly cheesesteaks, pulled pork sandwiches, and more. Making vegan food delicious has never been easier!

Lead image source: Morels Cafe/Facebook

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Restauranteur Who Created Vegan Jerky by Accident Will Open a Droolworthy Plant-Based Cafe! - One Green Planet

Cashews have changed the game for vegan cheeses. They add a creamy, decadent flavor that cookbook authors and chefs have adopted in almost every new recipe I come across.

Vegan brands like Miyoko's Kitchen offer up artisanal flavors like Mt. Vesuvius Black Ash and Aged English Smoked Farmhouse as cashew-based options.

Unfortunately, if you have a sensitive gut or suffer from irritable bowel syndrome you may have a hard time digesting these nuts. Those who can't tolerate cashews are often sensitive to FODMAPS sugars and fibers that aren't digested by the small intestines. (If you find you also have a problem with onions and garlic, low-FODMAP options might be worth a try.)

My other irritation with cashews is they have to be soaked sometimes up to two hours before they can blend into a cheese sauce.

Extensive prep time is fine on a Saturday afternoon but not on nights when both my husband and I work late. Or, let's be honest, when I've decided we're having nachos for dinner and I forgot to soak the nuts in the first place.

Thankfully, there are nut-free recipes out there that are simple, healthy and delicious. "America's Test Kitchen" the Emmy-award winning cooking show includes a nacho cheese recipe in its new book, "Vegan for Everybody" (America's Test Kitchen, $29.95).

I was dubious when I looked at the ingredients alongside the picture in the book. I thought there was no way a mixture that blended boiled potatoes and carrots along with vinegar and nutritional yeast would come out anything like nacho cheese. Plus, the vinegar sounded gross.

I was completely wrong. The sauce came out smooth, tangy and with an unmistakable nacho cheese flavor and texture. Processing the potatoes released starch that gave it a gluey, stretchy consistency. Sauteed adobo peppers and onions added a Tex-Mex kick.

Use it as a chip dip or a topping on your taco salad. Reheat on the stovetop, or microwave in 30-second spurts, adding water when needed.

If you're in the mood for a mac-and-cheese style topping, check out the velvety cheez sauce in "Vegan Vittles," by Jo Stepaniak (Book Publishing Co., $19.95).

I got the original version of this cookbook in 2000 my first year as a vegan. I remember flipping through the pages on multiple trips to the college bookstore, trying to justify the $13 purchase on my 19-year-old budget.

This is still my go-to topping for macaroni almost 20 years later. Like the nacho recipe, it has a potato and carrot base that you blend after boiling. But this one adds firm silken tofu and lemon sauce to give it a creamier texture.

Be cautious when blending the potato, carrot and water mixture in both recipes. If the liquid is still hot, it can force the lid on the blender or food processor to pop open. I know this from experience. If you want to blend while the ingredients are still hot, only fill up the container halfway.

For a tangy salad topper or sandwich filling, try the Greek tofu feta recipe in Stepaniak's latest book, "Low-FODMAP and Vegan" (Book Publishing Co., $17.95).

The brine which mixes apple cider vinegar, water, miso and oregano takes about 3 minutes to make. Cut some extra-firm tofu into cubes and let it soak overnight. I ate the cubes solo, but crumble and toss on top of pasta to get a more realistic feta feel.

kwiginton@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @keriphoto

Nacho dip

Prep: 25 minutes

Cook: 5 minutes

Makes: 2 cups

From "Vegan for Everybody," by America's Test Kitchen, which suggests serving with corn chips or crudites. To rewarm cooled nacho dip, microwave, covered, in 30-second bursts, whisking at each interval and thinning with water as needed, or rewarm on the stovetop, whisking occasionally and thinning with water as needed.

12 ounces russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 small carrot, peeled, cut into -inch pieces (1/3 cup)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/3 cup minced poblano chile

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon mustard powder

1 Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add potatoes and carrot, and cook until tender, about 12 minutes; drain in a colander.

2 Combine cooked vegetables, 1/3 cup water, 2 tablespoons oil, nutritional yeast, vinegar and salt in a blender. Pulse until chopped and combined, about 10 pulses, stopping to scrape down sides of blender jar as needed. Process mixture on high speed until very smooth, about 2 minutes.

3 Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and poblano, and cook until softened and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chipotle, cumin and mustard; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds; remove from heat.

4 Stir potato mixture into onion-poblano mixture in saucepan and bring to brief simmer over medium heat to heat through. Transfer to bowl and serve immediately.

Nutrition information per tablespoon: 25 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g carbohydrates, 0 g sugar, 0 g protein, 208 mg sodium, 0 g fiber

Greek tofu feta

Prep: 20 minutes

Brine: 24 hours

Makes: 4 servings

From Jo Stepaniak's latest book, "Low-FODMAP and Vegan: What to Eat When You Can't Eat Anything."

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons light miso

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

12 ounces superfirm or extra-firm tofu pressed and cubed

1 For the brine, put the water, vinegar, lemon juice, miso, oregano, oil and salt in a large bowl, and whisk until well combined and the miso is fully incorporated. Add the tofu and gently toss, using your hands, until each piece is well coated with the brine. Take care not to break the cubes.

2 Transfer the tofu and brine to a glass storage container, cover and refrigerate for 24-48 hours before using. If all the cubes aren't submerged in the brine, gently tilt the container every few hours to ensure all pieces stay well coated. Store the tofu feta in the brine in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition information per serving: 76 calories, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g carbohydrates, 1 g sugar, 9 g protein, 184 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

Velvety cheez sauce

Prep: 25 minutes

Cook: 12-15 minutes

Makes: 2 1/2 cups

From "Vegan Vittles," by Jo Stepaniak. Pour this velvety, cheddar-style sauce over vegetables, pasta, rice or toast points.

1 medium potato, peeled, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1/2 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup mashed silken tofu

1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 Put the potato, water, carrot and onion in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium, cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

2 Transfer the vegetables and the cooking liquid to a blender. Add the remaining ingredients, and process until completely smooth. Depending on the size of your blender, this may need to be done in several batches.

3 Rinse out the saucepan, and pour the blended mixture into it. Warm over low heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce is hot. Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator; leftover sauce will keep for about 3 days.

Nutrition information per tablespoon: 14 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g carbohydrates, 0 g sugar, 1 g protein, 61 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

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Love vegan cheese but can't eat cashews? Nut-free recipes come to rescue - Chicago Tribune

While mouth-watering plant-based proteins, milks, and even ice creams have long been delicious enough to satisfy omnivores and vegans alike, vegan cheese is another matter.

Just ten years ago, there were perhaps no two words more disappointing than vegan cheese. They made most people, vegan or not, cringe at the thought. The greasy, waxy foodlike stuff did not melt even if Daeneryss dragons were to mouth breathe on it. You could blast it under the fire of ten suns, or cast your very best magic spell upon any brand of vegan cheese. It didnt matter. It. Would. Not. Melt.

Beyond the unmeltable factor, most vegan cheese products tasted less like the creamy, tangy richness associated with dairy cheese, and more like old American cheese slices left in the sun. For a few years. Some nondairy cheeses even contained dairy milk proteins to help the cheese melt, defeating the purpose for vegans entirely. Others were so loaded with unhealthy trans fats and other processed ingredients that health-seekers wouldnt touch them. Many vegans, myself included, just learned to live without cheese, defending the saucy goodness of cheese-less pizza and the many functions of nutritional yeast (which makes an excellent mac and cheese sauce, by the way). We learned to just smile and bite our tongues when our non-vegan friends and family members would inevitably utter that infamous lament while we quietly ate our cheeseless nachos: Id go vegan but I could never give up cheese!

But for the committed vegans, the how-can-you-live-without-cheese query was never as strong as the realities of dairy farming. While vegetarianism, which permits dairy and eggs, was popular in the 1960s and 70s as an ethical diet choice, the reality of dairy farming the constant impregnation of cows, the tearing of newborn babies away from their mothers, male cows suffering to becomeveal, and the constant infections, pains, and problems dairy cows experience in their udders, not to mention the environmental issues makes abstaining from cheese a no-brainer. No matter its flavor, texture, or cultural relevance, cheese is notworth the price of animal suffering, environmental degradation, and the human health risks.

Fortunately, going withoutvegan cheese turned out to be only a minor glitch in the big scheme of things.

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of unmelted casein-tainted sludge, there came Daiya Foods. The Canadian-born vegan cheese company hit the market in 2008 with products that tasted and melted like real cheese in what seemed like a miraculous anomaly. How had they finally done it?

With tapioca flour, a blend of oils, the ever-popular pea protein, and a few other ingredients, Daiya redefined the vegan cheese market. But it was no small task.

Its incredibly difficult to have the smooth rich creamy texture of cold cheese and still have the same product melt or pool under typical heating conditions, Daiya co-founder Andre Kroecher told me via email. If you achieve that, its even harder to have it brown on top, and have the chew and stretch of a milk protein based cheese.

Its why even so-called dairy-free cheeses often included casein, the milk protein that helps it melt and stretch.

Daiya, says Kroecher, has been able to create a dairy-like experience both in flavor and texture that satisfies the cravings of meat and cheese eaters alike, while still being a vegan product. The brand even took its name, which comes from the Sanskrit language for loving kindness and compassion, because it sounds so much like the word dairy even though its routinely mispronounced as dye-uh ( the correct pronunciation is day-uh).

We wanted a name that sounded like dairy but that could become a household brand synonymous with great tasting dairy alternatives,Kroecher says about the name and the founders dont mind if you mispronounce it, either.

Kroecher grew up vegetarian, turning to veganism as he got older. His experience echoes that of most vegans, there was very little available as far as dairy free cheese went, he says. I always felt like I was missing out when Id see others indulging in great tasting foods made with fine cheeses. Id try every new dairy free cheese offering that came out but they were so terrible that Id usually have to throw them out.

It was this repeated experience that turned Kroecher, and Daiya co-founder Greg Blake, both musicians and entrepreneurs,into vegan cheese gurus.

Kroecher experimented for years on his own, eventually creating prototypes that would become the foundation of Daiya. They were so convincing, says Blake.

It took more than a year to create the mozzarella and cheddar products that launched Daiya into the U.S. market, revolutionizing the vegan cheese category.

We originally just planned to sell in food service as we had been told by experts that it would take millions of dollars to break into retail, Kroecher says. We spent a long time developing the technology and then sent it to various restaurants for testing. Virtually every restaurant we sent it to immediately followed up saying they were ready to place an order even though they didnt even know the price!

Daiya had succeeded in doing what no other vegan cheese company had done before it. While nondairy milk options and veggie burgers were widespread in mainstream outlets, vegan cheese didnt exist in restaurants often not even in entirely vegan restaurants. Daiya was all of a sudden finding placement in thousands of retail locations: pizza shops, college cafeterias, restaurants, and in the prepared food section at Whole Foods Market, where customers could find the cheese melted onto the house pizzas, but not yet for sale in the store.

There was actually a small scale black market forming for our shreds, says Kroecher. We had them packed in 5 pound bags but pizzerias and retail stores like Whole Foods were repackaging into smaller bags and trays and re-selling the product like crazy. We needed to keep quality control and capture Daiya branding so when Whole Foods told us we needed a retail product ASAP, we listened. Then they offered us a national listing if we could make the product in retail bags in short order.

The rest, as they say, is history. Already with a dedicated following, Daiyas cheeses began appearing and quickly disappearing from store shelves across the country.

There was just massive pent up demand and we had the good fortune of having a product that could deliver on unmet needs at a time when people could learn about it almost virally, says Kroecher. It was like people were discovering Daiya and then couldnt wait to tell all of their friends, and now they had the tools to tell them instantly and where it could be purchased. Pictures, reviews, emails, blogs, tweets, texts,all word of mouth and spreading the Daiya word for us it was amazing!

Timing, of course, couldnt have been better. Interest in plant-based foods is at an all-time high with people making the switch for health, environmental, and ethical reasons. Sales of plant-based foods hit $5 billion last year, and theyre outpacing growth of traditional meat and dairy categories in some cases.

Daiyas customers follow the trends of other plant-based categories. While theres certainly a dedicated vegan following who helped to launch the brands initial success, many of the companys core customers fall into the flexitarian category (or balanceatarian, as vegan meal kit Purple Carrot founder calls it).

Today, with placement in more than 25,000 locations, Daiya is just one of many successful vegan cheese brands. Kite Hill, Miyokos, and Follow Your Heart are three well-loved national vegan cheese brands, and theres another phenomenon that can be accredited to Daiyas success: Small-batch vegan cheesemakers are popping up all over the country. Here in Los Angeles we have a handful of artisan cheesemakers all with different specialties and focuses. But its hard to imagine them even attempting to do it had Daiya not broken the vegan cheese barrier and removing the taboo.

At the recent Natural Products Expo held in Anaheim, Calif., Daiya, which now makes its own frozen pizzas, yogurts, salad dressings, and several shelf-stable mac and cheese products, launched the Cutting Board Collection, a new line of cheeses Kroecher says are exceptionally authentic tasting and capable of holding their own against its signature products and traditional dairy-based cheese.

Theyre smoother than the original Daiya shreds, more passable as real cheese, and true to Daiya form, they melt and stretch like its other products.

Taste is such a subjective concept that we simply cant have just a few styles of cheese to satisfy what is currently serviced by hundreds of varieties of dairy based cheeses, he explains. The cutting Board Collection is aimed at providing enhanced and highly distinguished product diversity.

As the category leader, theres nothing but ooey-gooey opportunity for the brand.

The growing awareness of the relationship between what we put in our mouths and how we feel emotionally and physically represents a massive trend in the food business, says Kroecher. These new concepts of health, environment and resource consumption, allergies, food sensitivities and compassion towards animals is quickly becoming mainstream.

Todays market is like a gold rush for plant-based foods, says Kroecher, as manufacturers, restaurants, and retailers are making every effort to satisfy the demand in all categories.

Its where almost all the growth is, he says.

[We]dream of a Subway sandwich with plant-based meat options and dairy-free cheese options, Kroecher says enthusiastically, or even a Dominos pizza that can be ordered with plant-based meat and cheese topping options.

And making that happen is not a stretch. For Daiya, its inevitable.

Find Jill on Twitter and Instagram

Related on Organic Authority

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All images courtesy of Daiya Foods

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.

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Meet the Vegan Cheese Brand That Changed the World - Organic Authority

Any night-owl can attest to the pains of those summernights with friends where youre craving something greasy and delicious but, alas, the Taco Bell down the road is only open until 2 A.M. Well, those days may soon be over if you happen to live in Ontario, Canada. This June, Canada will be home to the worlds first 24-hour all-vegan fast food establishment. Looks like its time for us to start planning thatsvacation to Canada The drive-thru will be the second brick-and-mortar location of

The drive-thru will be the second brick-and-mortar location of Globally Local, a restaurant that serves vegan versions of fast food favorites with items such as the Famous Burger, a vegan version of the Big Mac, and other options like French toast, gyros, burritos, and grilled cheese, all for an affordable price.

Like New York-based restaurant The Cinnamon Snail, Globally Locals founderJames McInnes started off by selling his vegan fast food creations out of a food truck. With one brick-and-mortar location under his belt and the 24-hour drive-thru coming this summer, McInnes success is a true testament to the growing popularity of plant-based food.

Even if you dont live in Canada, you can still get your vegan fast food fix on with the help of theFood Monster App(available for bothiPhone and Android). This recipe app featuresover 8,000 vegan recipes, has plenty of options for burgers, loaded fries, and crispy, crunchy meat-free nuggets!

Lead image source: Globally Local/Facebook

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The World's First 24-Hour Vegan Drive Thru is Opening This ... - One Green Planet

(Picture: metro.co.uk)

When youre a vegetarian or vegan, going out for dinner can be a minefield.

Sometimes youll be lucky enough to stumble into a restaurant that actually offers multiple delicious things you can eat, but all too often theres just one sad option if that.

So naturally, you rejoice at the existence of all vegan and all vegetarian restaurants. Places where you dont have to interrogate the waiters or aggressively inspect the menu.

For one meat-eater, though, all-vegan restaurants are the definition of evil.

Despite being able to eat all the food on offer (the opposite of the case when a vegetarian goes to an all-meat spot), one person was very disappointed to go to all-vegan restaurant V Rev Diner, in Manchester, and not find a single non-vegan option.

No option for non-vegan, they wrote. I find out once I had been there.

Its a bit of a weird complaint considering the entire restaurant is marketed as being fully vegan (so complaining about vegan food is like going to a wine bar then saying BUT WHERE IS THE TEQUILA?), but also because the reviewer can absolutely eat all the vegan options. Theres nothing stopping them.

In V Rev Vegan Diners credit, they handled the bad review pretty brilliantly.

Wow yes, they tweeted, must be really hard to go to a restaurant where theres nothing to suit your dietary needs.

Which we greatly applaud.

If youd like non-vegan food specifically, it may be wiser to go to, well, any other restaurant other than an all-vegan diner. Just an idea.

MORE: Vegan in Manchester: 15 of the best places to eat

MORE: 10 best vegan-friendly biscuits ranked from taste torture to worship-worthy

MORE: Get your hands on this vegan bratwurst in a bun

The rest is here:

Vegan restaurant's response to review complaining they don't serve meat is brilliant - Metro

Women's Health

5 Vegan Dinners With As Much Protein As A Chicken Breast Women's Health Do you whip up vegan smoothies for breakfast and hummus six ways for lunch, only to lose your love of plants when dinnertime rolls around? Understandably, it can be harder to get excited about another pasta or rice bowl. Not only does the idea of ...

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5 Vegan Dinners With As Much Protein As A Chicken Breast - Women's Health

Some people become vegetarians because they love animals. Some, as comedian A. Whitney Brown put it, because they hate plants.

But vegans are committed. Not only do they not eat food that harms or kills animals, some don't even want food that inconveniences animals.

Like honey. Hardcore vegans will not eat honey because, as Noah Lewis of vegetus.org puts it, "the simple fact is that the bees are enslaved." Similarly, some vegans will not eat cane sugar because, while it comes entirely from a plant, refined cane sugar is whitened by using bone char, which comes from animals.

In 2009, the American Dietetic Association took the position that vegetarian and vegan diets reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes, and lead to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

But there are some things to watch out for when on a vegan diet: You have to make sure to get enough protein and vitamin B-12 -- and calcium, iodine, vitamin D, iron, zinc and n-3 fatty acids.

Fortunately, a well-balanced vegan diet provides all of these essential nutrients, although you may want to take vitamin B-12 supplements, just in case.

Still, cooking a well-balanced vegan diet can be difficult, at least if you want to stick to what most Americans think of as normal ingredients. Many vegan recipes attempt to re-create meatless versions of familiar meat-based dishes, and to do so they rely on such potentially off-putting processed ingredients as mycoprotein vegan "chicken," egg replacers and nondairy "cheese."

Other recipes use soy products such as tofu and tempeh for their protein, and it is one of these that I tried first in cooking a vegan diet for a day.

Mee Goreng, which is a type of stir-fried noodle dish, is popular street fare in the Philippines. When I have had it before, it always had meat in it, usually chicken or shrimp or both. But then I came upon a vegan recipe for it using tofu, and tofu fans are sure to be instantly hooked.

If they like spicy food, that is. As with a lot of street food, Mee Goreng usually packs a kick. If you want it milder, simply trim down or eliminate the amount you use of sambal oelek, the all-purpose Indonesian and Malaysian ground chile paste.

Also as is the case with much street food, Mee Goreng tends to be a little oily. The recipe calls for 5 tablespoons of oil for four to six servings; I got by with four tablespoons, but that is still a quarter cup of oil.

Do you need it? Yes. The oil brings the dish together, from the spicy sambal and the faintly bitter bok choy to the sweet sauce made from equal parts of soy sauce, brown sugar and molasses.

The tofu, which has the amazing ability to soak up all the flavors in which it is cooked, serves as a protein-rich punctuation to the meal.

For my next dish, I dispensed with the tofu and received my protein in the form of garbanzo beans, which are also known as chickpeas.

Indian-Style Vegetable Curry With Potatoes and Cauliflower (that name seems a little over-descriptive to me) is another spicy dish. I like spices; sue me. If less fiery food is more your style, you can use a mild curry powder (but I wouldn't use much less) and leave out the serrano chile.

This dish benefits greatly from the mutually complementary flavors of potato, cauliflower, garbanzo beans and curry. A bit of tomato paste and a cup of coconut milk make it deeply satisfying, yet it is so healthful that you'll practically pat yourself on the back for eating it.

It is the kind of dish that calls out for basmati rice; if you have it, use it.

Finally, I made a vegan version of one of the least vegan dishes I could think of, pancakes.

Pancakes pretty much need eggs, milk and butter. If you try to make them from just flour, water, sugar, salt, baking powder and a little oil, you'll wind up with paste.

Or so I thought. But then a colleague passed me a recipe for Vegan Pancakes that she swore was excellent. And she was right.

I don't know how this works. I don't understand how they hold together without becoming slightly sweetened hardtack. I'm guessing the oil has something to do with it, but we are only talking about a single tablespoon for 10 smallish pancakes.

These vegan pancakes are fine the way they are, but I incorporated a couple of additions suggested by my colleague: I added two tablespoons of soy milk (almond milk would also do) and a teaspoon of vanilla, just to make the pancakes even better.

They are a perfect foil for maple syrup. And maple syrup doesn't inconvenience any animal.

Mee Goreng

1 pound fresh Chinese noodles (yellow wheat or "stir fried") or 12 ounces dried spaghetti or linguine

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 large shallots; 2 minced and 2 sliced thin

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons sambal oelek (see note)

14 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes

Salt and ground black pepper

2 tablespoons cornstarch

5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided use

1 pound bok choy, stalks and greens separated and sliced 1/2-inch thick

4 green onions, sliced thin on bias

Lime wedges

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a large pot. Add noodles and cook, stirring often, until tender. Drain and set aside.

In a bowl, whisk sugar, molasses and soy sauce.

In a separate bowl, combine minced shallots, garlic and sambal oelek.

Spread tofu on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and let drain for 20 minutes. Gently pat dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, then toss with cornstarch. Transfer coated tofu to a strainer and shake gently over bowl to remove excess cornstarch.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add tofu and cook, turning as needed, until crisp and browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes; transfer to bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the now-empty skillet and heat until shimmering. Add sliced shallots and cook until golden, about 5 minutes; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

If necessary, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the now-empty skillet and heat until shimmering. Add bok choy stalks and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Clear center of skillet, add garlic mixture and cook, mashing mixture into skillet until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir into vegetables.

Stir in noodles, tofu, bok choy leaves and green onions. Whisk sauce to recombine, add to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle fried shallots on top. Serve with lime wedges.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Note: Look for sambal oelek on the international aisle or Asian aisle of well-stocked grocery stores.

Nutrition information: Each of 6 servings contains approximately 665 calories, 18 g protein, 26 g fat, 91 g carbohydrate (29 g sugar), no cholesterol, 1,624 mg sodium and 6 g fiber.

Recipe adapted from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook by America's Test Kitchen

Indian-Style Vegetable Curry With Potatoes and Cauliflower

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 teaspoons curry powder

1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala (see note)

2 onions, finely chopped

12 ounces red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Salt and ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded and minced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 pound cauliflower, cored and cut into 1-inch florets

1 1/2 cup water

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed

1 1/2 cups frozen peas

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Pulse diced tomatoes with their juice in a food processor until almost smooth, about 3 pulses.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add curry powder and garam masala and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Stir in onions, potatoes and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are browned and potatoes are golden brown at edges, about 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium. Stir in garlic, chile, ginger and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cauliflower florets and cook, stirring constantly, until florets are coated with spices, about 2 minutes.

Gradually stir in water, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in chickpeas and processed tomatoes and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce to gentle simmer and cook until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Uncover, stir in peas and coconut milk, and continue to cook until peas are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in cilantro, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve over rice.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Note: Garam masala is a spice blend common in Indian cooking. Look for it with the spices at the grocery store. If you can't find it, make your own by blending 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.

Nutrition information: Each of four servings contains approximately 429 calories, 15 g protein, 21 g fat, 53 g carbohydrate (17 g sugar), no cholesterol, 367 mg sodium and 17 g fiber.

Recipe adapted from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook by America's Test Kitchen

Vegan Pancakes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups water

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons soy or almond milk, optional

Into a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together the water, oil, vanilla and, if using, soy or almond milk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir until just blended.

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Pour batter onto the griddle or skillet until it forms a 6-inch puddle. Cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry; check underneath to see if the bottom is lightly browned. Flip and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Makes about 8 (6-inch) pancakes.

Nutrition information: Each of eight pancakes (prepared with canola oil and almond milk) contains approximately 100 calories, 2 g protein, 2 g fat, 19 g cargohydrate (4 g sugar), no cholesterol, 125 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Food on 04/26/2017

See the original post:

Make it vegan | NWADG - Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Demand was so high when the new St. Paul vegan restaurantJ. Selbys opened that the spot has had to temporarily close to regroup, replenish and hire more staff.

The restaurant opened April 17. By April 21, a post on the restaurants Facebook site read: We have recently realized that our opening week has left us at a place where we are unable to provide you all, our customers, with the service, the food, and the experience you deserve. So, with that said, we are going to close this weekend starting now (Friday at 4 p.m.) so we can better prepare ourselves for the large crowds we expect in the future. We apologize deeply for this, but we want to make sure that the experience you get here at J. Selbys is the one you deserve.

We will be using the time we are closed to make sure we are prepared going into our second week. We know many of you have told us that kinks are expected, but some of the kinks we have run into are ones that prevent us from being at our best. We are sorry for any and all inconvenience. Thank you all for your patience, your love, and allowing us to be a part of your community.

As to when it will reopen, we can only guess that owner Matt Clayton, a retired physician, would say patience, my friends.

Updates can be found at facebook.com/jselbys/

Go here to see the original:

St. Paul vegan eatery J. Selby's closes temporarily days after opening - TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press