Archive for the ‘Vegan’ Category
Vegan equivalents ‘can be more than twice as expensive’ – The Scotsman
Posted: October 28, 2019 at 10:47 pm
Being vegan can cost more than twice as much as shopping for those who eat everything, a report has claimed.
A report looking at the cost of buying staples at four of the major supermarkets, revealed that all of the vegan versions were far more expensive than the non-vegan, with the basket of goods from Waitrose costing more that twice that of non-vegan products.
The analysis looked at the cost of own brand sausages, burgers patties, milk, spread, yogurt, pizza, cupcakes, ice-cream, cheese and chocolate.
The study, commissioned by plant-based gum company, Chewsygum.com, looked at the price and number of calories per 100g of product to examine the price and calorie content of vegan and non-vegan products.
Expense
A spokeswoman for Chewsygum.com, said: Going vegan is great from a health and environmental perspective - however big companies now know they can cash in from this lifestyle, so its important to be smart about where you do your shopping. With that said, not all vegan products equal health, in fact our study shows that some can be more calorific than the non-vegan alternatives so its best to keep an eye on that label and know which supermarkets are best for you and your lifestyle, whether you are vegan or not."
Read more: Vegan and vegetarian diets cut heart disease but raise stroke risk
Asda is the shop with the most insignificant price difference between vegan and non-vegan products at 2.17 higher, followed by Tesco. The cheapest vegan shopping basket in the study was at Tesco, where the products cost 12.30.
In Tesco and Morrisons, the total calories for vegan produce was about 200 less than the non-vegan total for the same products - however, at Sainsburys, the vegan food calorie count was 63 per cent higher than the meat and dairy version.
The report said: While vegan products are generally known to be more expensive, some supermarkets are taking advantage of that, perhaps a bit too much.
The biggest price difference between non-vegan and vegan products can be seen at Waitrose, where it would cost you more than double to shop as a vegan. Similarly, it would be very harmful for your wallet as a vegan to shop at Sainsburys, where it would cost you 11.45 more to get the same products as someone who eats animal-derived produce.
Read more: EU bid to ban veggies from using the words 'burger' and 'sausage' rejected by UK government
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Vegan equivalents 'can be more than twice as expensive' - The Scotsman
Vegans, vegetarians and the meat of the matter – The Guardian
Posted: at 10:47 pm
George Reynolds (The war on vegans, the long read, 25 October) conflates eating less meat, being vegetarian and being vegan. When he says Veganism, of course, is rooted in social justice, it is likely that phrase should apply to vegetarianism.
At root, vegetarianism poses philosophical and moral issues. We are, by nature and evolution, fitted to a mixed diet, but at scale have a cruel and brutal way of putting meat on the table. Many people dont like being reminded of this. It makes them uncomfortable, and they take it out on the messenger. But there is something more going on, and that is specifically about veganism.
Georges article contains much of the answer to his question. He points out veganism is replacing one kind of industrialised system with another and that intensive industrialised farming of soya, maize and grains comes at a significant carbon cost, too as does flying in the ingredients to keep berries and nut butters on aa bowls or avocado on toast. He doesnt mention the impact of almonds, palm oil and quinoa on indigenous people, water resources or forests.
Veganism has always been a smaller grouping within a broader movement. It has to face greater dietary challenges. From necessity it attracts the most committed people and inevitably some of them proselytise with the fire of justice in their bellies. When you mix an uncompromising stance on diet with an absolute insistence on the moral high ground you very quickly annoy people.
When veganism is scaled up in the hands of global capital, it becomes vastly more complicated. So, in addition to reminding us of the structure of animal cruelty, and triggering a blame the messenger response, the messianic certainty of some vegans can also attract hatred because it makes a difficult, complex structural issue into one of personal consumer choice.Brian FishChapel Allerton, Leeds
George Reynolds may have overlooked the main reason that vegans upset people. Preparing and sharing food is so central to human culture that it has ritual significance. Strict veganism undermines the fundamental social rite of eating together.
When vegans cook for omnivores, the interaction is generally successful. The guests eat what they are given and compliment the cooking. The etiquette of food-sharing has been preserved. But when strict vegans are fed by omnivores, there is tension. The hosts face a daunting list of exclusion and must try new recipes. For practical reasons, the vegan menu may be imposed on the whole gathering. This offends our deep-rooted belief that guests should adapt to the host culture, gratefully accepting whatever food they are given. The alternative option of the vegans bringing their own food is even more offensive: the social bond of food-sharing will not be achieved.
Historically, religious dietary taboos were used as a tool to prevent social interaction with others outside the sect. Unconsciously, vegans may be causing grave offence by othering their families and community. This has implications for the best strategy to reduce meat-eating and save the planet. Gradualism, flexitarianism and reinforcement rather than undermining of traditional food-sharing culture will result in greater societal change.Dr Quentin ShawShrewsbury, Shropshire
Your long read falls into the trap of tarring all vegans with the same brush, like cyclists or other groups that seem to arouse irrational hatred. Like many vegans, I dont engage in internet warfare, or mention my dietary choices on social media. Where my new diet has been met with consternation by friends and family, Ive won them over by cooking for them, which habitually ends with them asking for seconds and for recipes. Some dont even notice theyre eating coconut yoghurt or ice cream, aquafaba meringues etc.
Where the article falls down is seeing beyond the issues associated with eating less meat, essentially lumping vegans in with vegetarians. It is worth looking with more scrutiny at animal products. Rearing cows for dairy has a serious environmental impact; the data (for example in the Oxford university study referenced in the article) makes this perfectly clear. The piece also perpetuates the mythical dangers of soy farming; around 90% of soy is grown to feed livestock. If we ate more of it as a protein source instead of meat, wed need to grow much less of it.Matt KanerLondon
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Vegans, vegetarians and the meat of the matter - The Guardian
The myths of going vegan – Wink News
Posted: at 10:47 pm
ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire)
A recent Harvard study discovered that vegetarians lost more weight than non-vegetarians. And vegan dieters actually saw the most weight loss, losing five pounds more than non-vegetarians. Vegan diets have also shown to be effective in fighting heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
A vegan diet means absolutely zero animal products, so no eggs, no cheese, no milk, Tara Collingwood, registered dietician, said.
Eliminating all of those foods has the potential to also eliminate vital nutrients. So, if youre planning to go vegan then planning is exactly what you need to do. Plan to add more protein to your diet through lentils, tofu, and chickpeas. Find calcium in green vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and okra. And get your iron from beans, nuts, prunes, and figs.
However, there is one vital nutrient you will only find in meat: vitamin B-12.
Collingwood told Ivanhoe, So that is not in any plant-based products so you do have to take a supplement of vitamin B-12 but everything else if you plan correctly you can get enough of all the other vitamins and minerals and proteins that you need.
A vegan diet could interfere with certain medical conditions like osteoporosis and diabetes, so it is critical to talk to a doctor and nutritionist to ensure youre not doing more harm than good. The same goes if youre pregnant or breastfeeding.
If youre interested in learning more about a vegan diet, try checking out the website nomeatathlete.com or watching the documentary Forks over Knives, available on Netflix!
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The Subway vegan meatball marinara sub is coming to the UK this week – Metro.co.uk
Posted: at 10:47 pm
The meatless meatball marina sub that was launched in the US earlier this year (Picture: Subway)
2019 has been a good year for vegans and now the meatless meatball marina sub is coming to Subway.
Yes, following on from the Greggs vegan sausage roll and the KFC imposter burger, Subway is the latest fast-food chain to create a plant-based version of an old favourite.
The meatless meatball marina was launched in the U.S. earlier this year but theyve finally confirmed that it is coming to the UK.
The U.S. version wasnt fully vegan as it included cheese on top but vegans could ask for a sub with just the meatballs, sauce and bread.
Subway in the UK hasnt confirmed yet if theyll be offering dairy-based cheese to top the sub or if vegans will face a similar situation.
The vegan meatballs will be available this week but thebad news is that this is just a trial so its only available for a few weeks in stores in Birmingham and Manchester for now.
Subway has been pretty tight-lipped about the details of the trial but said they are hoping to roll it out from early next year though, so prepare for it to come to a store near you in 2020.
A spokesperson for Subway UK told Metro.co.uk: We are currently trialling an exciting new vegan product, our Meatless Meatball Marinara, in a number of stores across the UK.
We are hoping to introduce these nationwide early next year, so keep your eyes peeled and well let you know once we have more information.
A sign posted by Vegan_food_uk said that the meatless meatball marinara sub is available until 20 November.
They havent released a list of the stores where it is available just yet so if youre in Manchester or Birmingham, its worth asking at your local branch.
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The Subway vegan meatball marinara sub is coming to the UK this week - Metro.co.uk
Vegan Shoe Brand Debuts New Line That Keeps Nearly 300000 Plastic Water Bottles From Landfills – VegNews
Posted: at 10:47 pm
On October 30, shoe brand Call It Springowned by the ALDO groupwill release its newest vegan line at store locations worldwide, including in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Denmark, United Arab Emirates, India, South Africa, Colombia, and Mexico. The 19-item sustainability focused line is made with eco-friendly materials such as post-consumer recycled water bottles, insoles made from an innovative algae-based material the brand calls BLOOM, and eco-conscious vegan leathers that are made using fewer chemicals than standard vegan polyurethane. The collection includes two styles of purses; womens hiking boots, high-heeled boots, and strappy heels; and mens sneakers, boots, and loafers. By using these materials to create the collection, Call It Spring kept 295,629 standard plastic water bottles out of landfills and oceans and saved 64 tons of carbon dioxide emissionsthe equivalent of driving a car around the earth five times. In April, the Canadian company committed to become a fully vegan brand beginning with its Spring 2019 collection.
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15 Vegan Casserole Recipes to Keep You Warm and Full – LIVEKINDLY
Posted: at 10:47 pm
Chilly weather is here and that means its casserole time. Casseroles are classically heavy in meat and dairy. But just because youre leaving out animal-based products doesnt mean you need to leave out meat, butter, and cheese. Here are some tips, tricks, and of course vegan casserole recipes.
Look for vegan versions of meat you would traditionally feature in casseroles. There are plenty of options for vegan ground beef, from MorningStar Farms to Beyond Meat, Gardein, and BOCA. Depending on where you live, you might even find Impossible Meats ground beef.
For cheese, you can try making your own. A lot of the recipes below feature dairy-free cheese sauce made from cashews blended with tapioca starch, which helps give it an authentic melty texture. If youd rather buy cheese, then try vegan cheese brands like Daiya, Follow Your Heart, Violife, Good Planet, Miyokos Creamery, and more.
For butter, look for Earth Balance, Flora, Miyokos Creamery, and FabaButter. Even Country Crock and I Cant Believe Its Not Butter have vegan options now.
Whether youre looking to eat less meat or seeking recipe inspiration, these meaty vegan casseroles will hit the spot.
Simple, delicious, and hearty. This vegan meat and potatoes casserole is a soul-warming dish made for chilly evenings. Yukon gold potatoes, plant-based beef, and fire-roasted tomatoes cook with onions, garlic, and fresh thyme for the ultimate comfort food.
Get the recipe here.
This vegan shepherds pie is packed with a meaty filling made from soy mince and mushrooms plus, plenty of carrots and peas. Its blanketed with a creamy, dairy-free mashed potato topping that browns in the oven as it bakes.
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Tetrazzini is a classic American casserole traditionally made with chicken and mushrooms in a buttery cream sauce. This vegan version lets the mushrooms stay and swaps chicken for soy curls. The dish is enveloped in a delicious dairy-free sauce, and topped with crunchy panko bread crumbs and vegan mozzarella
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This recipe features Gardein Beefless Tips cooked in a rich vegan gravy with carrots, peas, potatoes, cauliflower, and corn. Its topped with a dairy-free cheesy biscuit topping to soak up all the gravy.
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This vegan version of the popular Greek casserole is just perfect with lentil meat. Its topped with a dairy-free bechamel sauce made from vegan butter, plant-based milk, and nutritional yeast.
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Cheese the shining star of most casseroles. If youre going the dairy-free route, you dont have to miss out on a ridiculously cheesy meal. Here are some vegan cheese casseroles to try.
This meatless casserole is also gluten-free and oil-free. Tortillas are layered with a red enchilada sauce, corn, black beans, peppers, and a homemade chipotle cheddar sauce.
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Made with only eight ingredients, this vegan cheesy casserole is as simple as can be. Just add everything to a pan, bake, and serve! Its packed with wholesome ingredients like rice, chickpeas, broccoli, and a homemade dairy-free cheese sauce. No need to cook the rice ahead of time all the magic happens in the pan.
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This vegan mac and cheese is perfection a golden, crispy topping with cheesy macaroni underneath. Cashews and butternut squash are the secrets to the velvety, dairy-free cheese sauce.
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How do you make cauliflower even better? Put it in vegan cheese sauce, cover it with breadcrumbs, and bake it in the oven until you have a warm, comforting veggie dish that you wont believe is dairy-free.
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Black beans, kidney beans, cilantro, chili powder, and tomatoes take this vegan mac and cheese to the next level. Remember to add cilantro!
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Make dinnertime extra special with this wholesome vegan eggplant parmesan. It features homemade vegan parmesan made from cashew and hemp seeds and melty, dairy-free mozzarella.
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This vegan baked ziti is a crowd-pleaser, featuring layers of homemade tomato sauce, cashew mozzarella sauce, and plenty of pasta.
Get the recipe here.
Looking for more vegan casserole ideas? Look no further.
Tuna casserole is a comfort (and potluck) classic. This vegan version features Good Catch Foods plant-based tuna in a creamy, umami cashew-and-potato sauce with broccoli, mushrooms, and crunchy breadcrumbs.
Get the recipe here.
These enchiladas are a perfect make-ahead meal. Packed with black beans, potatoes, and topped with enchilada sauce and a creamy avocado sauce, theyre sure to hit the spot.
Get the recipe here.
This unique vegan casserole is a delicious, Asian cuisine-inspired dish packed with tofu, tempeh, veggies, and rice cooked in a homemade teriyaki sauce.
Get the recipe here.
Ratatouille is a classic casserole. Vegetables and tomatoes take center stage in this vegan dish. It also makes for a great freezer-friendly make-ahead meal.
Get the recipe here.
Summary
Article Name
15 Vegan Casserole Recipes to Keep You Warm and Full
Description
It's casserole season. Here are some tips, tricks, and ideas for replacing meat and cheese -- and of course, 15 vegan casserole recipes.
Author
Kat Smith
Publisher Name
LIVEKINDLY
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15 Vegan Casserole Recipes to Keep You Warm and Full - LIVEKINDLY
Prejudice and Violence Against Vegetarians and Vegans – Psychology Today
Posted: at 10:47 pm
Dhont, K., & Hodson, G. (Eds.) (in press). Why we love and exploit animals: Bridging insights from academia and advocacy. UK, Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group). [LINK]
Dhont, K., Hodson, G., Loughnan, S, & Amiot, C.E. (2019). (Editors). (De)Valuing animals: Intergroup perspectives on human-animal relations (Special issue of Group Processes and Intergroup Relations). Volume 22 (6). [LINK]
Hodson, G., Dhont, K., & Earle, M. (in press). Devaluing animals, animalistic humans, and people who protect animals. In K. Dhont & G. Hodson (Eds.), Why we love and exploit animals: Bridging insights from academia and advocacy
Dhont, K., Hodson, G., Loughnan, S., & Amiot, C.E. (2019). Rethinking human-animal relations: The critical role of social psychology. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 22, 769-784. DOI: 10.1177/1368430219864455 [LINK]
Earle, M., Hodson, G., Dhont, K., & MacInnis, C.C. (2019). Eating with our eyes (closed): Effects of visually associating animals with meat on antivegan/vegetarian attitudes and meat consumption willingness. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 22, 818-835. DOI: 10.1177/1368430219861848 [LINK]
Leite, A.C., Dhont, K., & Hodson, G. (2019). Longitudinal effects of human supremacy beliefs and vegetarianism threat on moral exclusion (vs. inclusion) of animals. European Journal of Social Psychology, 49, 179-189. doi: 10.1002/ejsp.2397. [LINK https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ejsp.2497%5D
Hodson, G., & Earle, M. (2018). Conservatism predicts lapses from vegetarian/vegan diets to meat consumption (through lower social justice concerns and social support). Appetite, 120, 75-81. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2017.08.027
Hodson, G. (2017). What is the pressing animal question about? Thinking/feeling capacity or exploitability? (Invited Commentary on Marino, 2017). Animal Sentience, 2(17), #12, pp.1-4. http://animalstudiesrepository.org/animsent/vol2/iss17/12/
MacInnis, C.C., & Hodson, G. (2017). It aint easy eating greens: Evidence of bias toward vegetarians and vegans from both source and target. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 20, 721-744. DOI: 10.1177/1368430215618253 [LINK]
Earle, M., & Hodson, G. (2017). Whats your beef with vegetarians? Predicting anti-vegetarian prejudice from pro-beef attitudes across cultures. Personality and Individual Differences, 119, 52-55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.06.034
Dhont, K., Hodson, G., & Leite, A.C. (2016). Common ideological roots of speciesism and generalized ethnic prejudice: The social dominance human-animal relations model (SD-HARM). European Journal of Personality, 30, 507-522. DOI: 10.1002/per.2069 [LINK]
Dhont, K., & Hodson, G. (2014). Why do right-wing adherents engage in more animal exploitation and meat consumption? Personality and Individual Differences, 64, 12-17. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.02.002
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Prejudice and Violence Against Vegetarians and Vegans - Psychology Today
Miyoko’s Vegan Cheese and Butter Expand to Australia – VegNews
Posted: at 10:47 pm
California-based Miyokos Creamery recently expanded distribution to Australia by way of 400 Woolworths grocery stores. Australian customers can now purchase European Style Cultured Vegan Butter, Classic Vegan Cream Cheese, and cheese wheels in four flavors: Black Ash, Smoked Farmhouse, Double Cream Chive, and Sundried Tomato Garlic. We have always had a passionate fan base in Australia and are cognizant that it is one of the fastest-growing markets for plant-based foods, Miyokos founder Miyoko Schinner told VegNews. We had a great opportunity to work with Woolworths, one of the countrys largest retailers, and felt that this was the best way to reach that fan base, as well as many others. Miyokos launch in Australia is part of the brands global expansion, which also brought its European Style Cultured Vegan Butter to 1,000 grocery stores in Canada last month. In addition to expanding internationally, the vegan company is developing new products such as butter made from oats and nut-free cheeses, expected to debut in the United States in early 2020.
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Miyoko's Vegan Cheese and Butter Expand to Australia - VegNews
Nic’s on Beverly, a new vegan restaurant in Beverly Grove, is missing creative spark – Los Angeles Times
Posted: October 17, 2019 at 1:46 pm
Restaurants labeled modern American really have no set definition, but there is a recent strain of the genre known for puddle-jumping from one cuisine to another dish by dish. Reading straight down a menu, one might see razor clams with yuzu kosho and nori followed by shrimp and grits; poutine with bone marrow gravy; lamb neck marinated in pomegranate molasses and yogurt; and yellowtail collar over a bed of kimchi. In the most skilled hands, this sort of advanced grafting can show off a chefs restive creativity and grasp of pluralism. Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolos Animal, as one Los Angeles example, does this sort of thing very well.
As of-the-moment as this culinary ethos can seem, it has precedent in the vegetarian and vegan restaurants that emerged across the country in the 1970s and through the 1990s. I cooked in these types of places while kicking around America in my 20s. Every kitchen had a copy of The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison, who founded Greens restaurant in San Francisco in 1979. She too plucked recipes from the worlds cuisines: Moroccan carrot salad, eggplant and mushroom pastitsio, dals and vegetable curries, black bean enchiladas and pastas and shepherds pie. Left to lesser cooks (and I worked with some of them back then), a careful patchwork could devolve into a random muddle.
Three-month-old Nics on Beverly, a plant-based restaurant that bills itself as a love letter to Los Angeles, follows the new-old formula: Most of the familiar-sounding dishes evoke individual cuisines, with a couple of salad-specific nods to Southern California. Nic Adler, the namesake, is culinary director for the Coachella festival and co-founder of Montys Good Burger, a small, expanding chain serving splendidly messy, smash-style vegan burgers that are among the best in the city.
The dining room at Nics On Beverly.
(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)
With Nics he strides into the domain of midscale dining. If at first the long space looks deserted, particularly earlier in the evening or at brunch, its because every customer has gravitated to the lush patio in the back. The courtyards shielding tree, around which tables are clustered, made the outdoor area a draw when the building previously housed the Ponte, an Italian restaurant, and French-inspired Terrine not long before it. Adler added plants and cascading vines around the walls to make the nook into even more of a verdant refuge.
The food too is meant to offer sanctuary, in the form of universal comforts that happen to be entirely meat-free. Im all for it; exquisite cooking in no way depends on the presence of meat. Unfortunately, under chefs Steven Fretz and Ryan Ososky, whats missing on the plates at Nics is not animal protein but creative excitement.
About the salads, for instance: One of them aims to riff on the flavors of Chinois on Mains chicken salad. A beloved staple, certainly, if a regressive choice to venerate, but Id hope the dressing would detonate with mustard and sesame and pickled ginger. This is instead a mound of chopped vegetables with little flavor or vitality or impetus to keep eating it.
Peach and heirloom tomato salad from Nics On Beverly.
(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)
An heirloom tomato and peach salad is finishing an end-of-season run. I ate countless variations of the combination over the summer. This one includes pistachios, a peachy vinaigrette and slivers of an impressive take on brie, from vegan cheese expert Jules Aron, made from cashew milk. Only, the tomatoes and peaches served to me werent ripe. We live in the cradle of abundance: If the fruit isnt at its peak, swap it out for whatever truly is in its prime. How does a vegetable-centric restaurant in Los Angeles miss that mark?
Then I start thinking about the salads price: $22. Even with a smattering of expensive non-dairy cheese, that still registers as steep. So does a $29 monotonous Moroccan chickpea tagine, a tomatoey affair crowned with some browned cauliflower florets that is bulked out with a side of rice. A cursory flip through Paula Wolferts seminal The Food of Morocco provides so many compelling ideas for tagine flavor iterations: preserved lemon, fennel and olives; prunes, almonds and cumin; saffron, dates and cinnamon. Instead of looking to Morocco, this one trots out vadouvan, a spice blend that trended earlier this decade with roots that trace back to French colonialism in India. Why?
Potato pierogies with peach butter prompt none of the usual joy that dumplings engender. Gummy gnocchetti fells an eggplant-based spin on Bolognese with almond ricotta; the sauce would be appealing with a silkier pasta.
Nics tempura avocado tacos.
(Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times)
What does work? Tempura avocado tacos with salsa verde; an easygoing conceit, three to an order, gone in a few squishy, gently spiced bites. Tomato pizza with high, crusty edges, modeled on the Detroit style thats popular of late, nails the comfort quotient. Im no fan of the falafel burger it is mushy and it makes me long for a double Montys cheeseburger with onions but the spuds alongside, hello. Theyre shaved potatoes stacked into a gratin, and then cut into thick rectangles and deep-fried; they remind me of a similarly narcotic dish at Angler in the Beverly Center. The good-natured servers will bring you a side of them solo.
In these handful of successful efforts, I glimpse what could be at Nics on Beverly. But as a city, as a collective culture, were past dubiously conceived and ambiguously seasoned vegetarian cooking. Give us a sense of place, give us moxie, comfort us with surprise and context and imagination. This is a golden age for myriad kinds of dining. Vegan restaurants arent exempt from reaching higher too.
Ask for a side of the gratin fries at Nics On Beverly.
(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)
Nic's on Beverly
8265 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 746-5130, nicsonbeverly.com
Prices: dinner dishes $15-$28, lunch and brunch dishes $15-$23, desserts $10-$12
Details: Credit cards accepted. Full bar. Valet and street parking. Wheelchair accessible.
Recommended: avocado tempura tacos; Detroit-style pizza; gratin fries; excellent, not-too-sweet nonalcoholic cocktails such as the Daisy
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How to Make the Best Vegan Bolognese – Lifehacker Australia
Posted: at 1:46 pm
Before all these impossibly uncanny meat approximations hit the market, mushrooms were the meatless workhorse of vegetarian and vegan cuisine. Though the new faux animal proteins have pushed veggie burgers beyond the ol portobello-between-two-buns, I urge you to not forget about mushrooms as a meat substitute, particularly if youre looking for something to take the place of ground beef.
Out of all the things that grow in the dirt, mushrooms have the meatiest flavor, butseeing as the competition is leaves and rootsthats not really saying much. But the longer you cook them, the more flavorful they get, and if you finely mince them before cooking, the water evaporates away, and they transform into savory, crispy little bits that take on the appearance of ground meat. (Its almost creepy, actually.)
They do, however, still taste like mushrooms, which is obviously not a bad taste, but it doesnt quite scratch that hearty, meaty itch. If you want to nudge your mushrooms (and other vegetables) closer to the uncanny valley, and increase the salty, savory umami flavor we associate with meat and meaty things, get your paws on some Chinese olive vegetable.
This condiment is not new, but it might be new to you, especially if your experience with olives has been dictated by American and European cuisines. As the name would suggest, it has been used in Chinese cooking for quite some time, and it ups the umami factor like you would not believe, eliminating the need for other savory ingredients. Theses olives arent pickled. Instead, immature Chinese white olives are cooked with mustard greens for a long time, creating a paste with a strong, savory, complex flavor. (If you dont have a good Asian market near you, you can order it online. Some brands contain MSG, which I consider to be an added bonus.)
Unlike pure, crystalline MSG, which adds an isolated hit of umami, Chinese olive vegetable adds funky nuance that reads as beefy. When mixed with finely chopped, heavily sauted mushrooms, you have a ground meat sub thats perfect for tacos, ragu, sloppy joes, or anything else you would add ground meat to. Its easy to make, though slightly time-consuming, as it takes a while to drive off all the moisture from the mushrooms. I recommend making a whole bunch at a time and keeping it in the fridge to use as needed. To make this meatless wonder, you will need:
Wash the mushrooms, and tear each mushroom into three or four pieces with your hands. Working in batches, add the shrooms to the bowl of your food processor, and pulse into fine but still discernible bits. Heat two tablespoons of butter or oil over medium-high heat in the largest stainless steel pan you have. Once the butter starts to foam (or your olive oil is nice and hot), add a single layer of the mushroom bits, give everything a stir, and let cook, stirring very occasionally, until the moisture has been driven off and the mushrooms are starting to brown. (This will take at least half an hour.)
Continue to cook, scraping any browned mushroom bits up off the pan with a wooden spatula. If things are getting too sticky, add some more butter or oil. Once the mushrooms are all browned, and have a deep, savory flavor (take a taste!), transfer them from the pan to a bowl. Repeat as needed until youve worked your way through your pile of mushroom bits. Once youve cooked all the shroom bits, add your Chinese olive vegetable, and stir to evenly distribute the condiment throughout the mushrooms. Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to five days. I really like this stuff in tacos, but its also divine when simmered in some simple tomato sauce for a complex, vegetarian ragu.
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