Its that time of year when you wake up sweating and cant figure out why. Did you accidentally wear your thermals in bed? Do you have tuberculosis? No, dummy, its just that its almost Christmas, its your turn to play host, and the list of things that can go wrong on the 25th is long and wearying.

Can I recommend, before we drill into this list, a quick wisdom stocktake? Last year was the worst Christmas imaginable: every plan was kiboshed at the very last minute; non-essential shops closed before wed done our shopping; people who thought they were going back to their families ended up at home and hadnt bought Baileys and crackers and whatnot; people whod battled solitude for a year were stuck alone; people living on top of each other couldnt catch a break; people expecting guests were buried under surplus pigs in blankets, and beyond our under-or over-decorated front doors, the outside world was fraught with risk and sorrow, as coronavirus declined to mark the birth of the Christ child with any respite from its march of terror. Im not saying it couldnt be as bad as that again just that it couldnt possibly be as surprisingly bad again.

There are some bridges you cant cross until you come to them; but others, you can get a head start on.

The turkeys too big for the oven!How did you let this happen? Its not as though this meal is a surprise. Youre right, I am using a harsh, judgmental tone for a reason. There is a tendency when were around our families to default to a mean, buzzing internal monologue of: Youre useless / hopeless / incompetent, a discordant medley of everyone who ever made you feel bad, a proportion of whom, inevitably, are currently in your living room, expecting to be fed. Try not to do this to yourself. (Sure, easier said than done.)

Now, on to your oven/turkey dilemma: it seems counterintuitive to consult the Guardians Felicity Cloake, creator of How to Cook the Perfect and author of many books, from Perfect to Completely Perfect, on a matter of such complete imperfection. Yet Cloake is ideal, with so many solutions that even to count them will calm you like a breathing exercise.

Cut the legs off! she advises. Theyre usually the thing that gets wedged in the oven element and send my temperature soaring. They should be relatively easy to yank off, but as with everything, theres a YouTube video to help. If its still too big, take the wings off, too. If youve discovered far enough in advance, and its just that you dont have room for the turkey and side dishes together, then roast the turkey first, cover it with foil, then carve it and cover it in hot gravy before serving.

The turkey does fit in the oven but you put it in too late and now everyones starving and its still half raw!Cloake to the rescue again. My first reaction would be: put it back in the oven and give them a few more crisps, she says. But if theyve already started drinking, youre in a danger zone. They might sail past appetite on a sea of sherry, straight into Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

If you need to eat now, Cloake continues, Id advise starting with the breast, which will cook first and which may well be ready even if the legs are still raw. Its always worth double checking the temperature with a meat thermometer as turkey brown meat is quite dark and might look uncooked when its not.

If its not cooked at all, take it out, joint it and roast the constituent parts separately. If youre really desperate, bring a large pan of chicken or vegetable stock to a simmer, then take the meat off the bone and poach it in that. It should only take a few minutes.

Your pesky niece was a vegetarian last week and now, suddenly, shes a vegan, but nobody told you.All those failsafe store cupboard solutions for the emergency veggie the cheese toastie, the omelette are out of the window. In a carnivores kitchen, you will most likely be lacking what a vegan would consider the basics of special-occasion cooking: some kind of meat substitute, such as a burger made of pea protein; or fake cheese.

Always have a dairy-free supermarket puff pastry sheet in they last a long time in the freezer, lend themselves to festive presentation and can be filled with anything any mashed vegetable plus something like a tapenade. If theres no space in your oven, firm tofu in cubes, dusted in cornflour, deep fried, will make a random but delicious turkey substitute for your incredibly thoughtless, but presumably dearly loved, relative.

One of your guests doesnt believe in vaccinations.When we think of anti-vaxxers, especially in an intimate, family setting, were often most comfortable channelling our indignation into the territory of health: that anti-science idiot is endangering my health, or grandmas, ergo they are selfish. Undoubtedly, they are much more likely to have caught Covid, and substantially more likely to pass it on, but if this is a deal-breaker, check ahead that everyones vaxxed and disinvite anyone who isnt.

Otherwise, try this thought experiment: if they couldnt get vaccinated say they had an insurmountable needle-phobia you might be much more worried about them as a Covid victim than as a carrier. So what you could be reacting to might not be the vector transmission but character traits obduracy, narcissism, callousness. You almost need to take yourself out of it, in order to get the temperature down. Theyre not doing this to you. Its just a thing theyre doing.

We tend to think about this as a question of etiquette how can I be kind while making sure my boundaries are respected? But the world of political discourse has much more practical research on how we talk to each other across ideological divides. Ellie Mae OHagan runs the Centre for Labour and Social Studies (Class) thinktank, and works on public attitudes related to the economy and culture wars. The person whose methodology I like best is Anat Shenker-Osorio, she says, who divides people into base, persuadable and opposition.

Base tends to mean broadly progressive, humane, reasonable. Opposition doesnt mean right or left, but rather, youre the small segment of the population who cannot be moved, whatever the issue is. Youre ideologically hardline, youll probably read a lot of news and take the information that supports your existing view. First, figure out who youre dealing with. A persuadable person is more likely to express uncertainty, more likely to contradict themselves, more likely to draw from their own experience. An opposition mindset will be characterised by a long list of dodgy or diversionary facts and a great deal more certainty.

With a persuadable person, OHagan says: Dont tell them facts. That doesnt work. Dont myth-bust. What that tends to do is strengthen the myth in peoples minds. Start with a shared value and be clear that you see the good in them. I can see that you really care about making sure that people are safe. I also care about that.

The advice on the opposition mindset is not to persuade them, but in a political context to alienate them. If you dont, usually you end up saying something so bland that youre not really saying anything. In an interpersonal context, this really means, just move on: dont deliberately alienate them realistically, youre probably already not that close but dont get involved.

Interestingly, a (nameless by choice) spokesperson for the NHS said something similar they divide vaccine attitudes into four: accepting; hesitant; resistant; hostile. They only communicate with the first three, and dont engage with the fourth.

Your uncle is drunk and itching to tell some home truths.Theres an argument that one person will always be spoiling for a fight, and that its their Christmas, too. Theyve come all this way, so let them say whatever it is and shrug it off. Often, someone who wants to kick off will do it with a big, unsayable thing that Donald Trump wasnt all bad, or Covid is a hoax, or some other conspiracy theory. OHagan says: The one thing thats not discussed enough is that a lot of people who become Covid conspiracy theorists are people who really suffered during lockdown. Theyre seeking explanations for what was going on, because they were frightened and suffering. Try to respond to the hurt rather than the words.

Equally, some people just get eggy when they drink too fast, on which, my core suggestions are: make your first offer not champagne or any fizzy wine, which people always drink too fast because theyre thirsty and excited, a lethal combination. Instead, make some really weak gin and tonics, which theyll also drink too fast but it wont matter. Then, when they move on to their next drink, theyll still be excited but at least they wont be thirsty.

You bought your brother something amazing and he got you something from PoundlandI had a friend who gave her brother a kidney and that Christmas, he gave her some tights from TK Maxx, and she weathered that. True story. So just have a word with yourself, eh?

Your wifi is acting up and youve forgotten how to get away from one another without screens.The reason Christmas is so fraught and occupies such a central place in our hosting anxieties is parking your unique family dynamics twofold. First, catering at scale is unfamiliar to many people. Second, spending hours in company doesnt suit a lot of temperaments. Introverts need downtime; extroverts feel offended. The core family of parents plus adult kids will usually have its own strategies to deal with all this, but add in some in-laws, neighbours, new girlfriends or boyfriends, and youre back to square one.

My family always used to have this enforced walk across a vast and dreary common, which went on for two hours, and when I describe it it sounds awful, but it wasnt, because it enabled us to split into twos and threes and have real conversations, rather than the stilted performances that whole-family groups scare up round a table. The main thing is to make everything optional and have a few options. Charades / snooze / wash up. Poker / TV / walk the dog. Create legitimate escape routes for people who need them, otherwise theyre really going to give you a pain in your butt by about 6pm.

One of your guests is allergic to cats and youve got six. In the old days, you probably wouldnt have got a cat if it meant your brother or best friends boyfriend could no longer visit, but now, sheesh, 18 months with nobody ever visiting you and acres of home time why not have four?

Hoover like a fiend ahead of time; the hair lying about might have much more of an effect than the animal itself padding in and out. Ventilate well, which you should be doing anyway. Make sure you have antihistamines, but also consider asking your guest to take one before they arrive, although not in a tone of voice that makes them feel like a nuisance.

Its way beyond your bedtime and your guests wont leave!On this of all days, its a conversation you can have ahead of time: who needs to stay over, how those who dont stay will get home, whos driving and will need elderflower cordial. All these practical details will give you a good idea of what your entertainment window will look like. However, our social muscles have atrophied somewhat; weve become less good at reading cues and have simply forgotten what time things are supposed to end. Or maybe some of us are overexcited and want to spend more time together than ever. The first time my sister came over after the last lockdown, she left at 3am. Others are taking time to reacclimatise. We all just need radical openness: dont bother with all the Martha Stewart-ey tips, letting the wine run out and turning the lights up. Just say: Im tired, and Im going to bed, and I know this isnt how we used to do things, but it doesnt mean I love you any less.

The couple youve invited cant stand each other any more.This is one of the weirdest things about the pandemic. Not seeing enough of people outside our household, all couples, I mean all of us, have got into quite idiosyncratic registers. I know couples who have become very saccharine in the way they talk to each other, couples who overshare to a degree that would put hairs on your chest, couples whose tone has become very rough and sarcastic, and none of it is immediately legible, so dont overreact. However, these are your guests you know them pretty well or you wouldnt have invited them. And if they really cant stand each other, one or both parties will probably have told you. Im afraid this is just awks and your only strategy is to keep it off the table. Theyll split up when theyre ready, and Christmas Day at your house is nobodys idea of ready.

You realise your kids have crossed over into cynicism and will never experience the magic of Christmas again. Indeed, last year was probably their final true childhood Christmas, but you were too preoccupied to notice.I would normally quote Marge Simpson Take all your bad feelings and push them down, all the way down, past your knees, until youre almost walking on them but her children stayed the same age her entire life, so what does she know? The passing of time is just inherently sad.

Boris Johnson has just cancelled Christmas again!A personal view: after everything thats happened, including but in no way limited to the prime ministers own bogus childcare bubble last Christmas, I find it extremely unlikely that anyone will be asked or expected to celebrate on their own in 2021. However, we may be asked to scale our plans right back, and find ourselves in our nuclear families with excess food mountains, or without any of the right food. If this comes to pass, look back over the things youve been worrying about, and you may find some silver linings.

See original here:

Your niece is suddenly vegan! How to survive the 12 disasters of Christmas - The Guardian

At first glance, all wines should be vegan, right? Wine is just made out of grapes and grapes are 100 percent vegan. Trust us, we wish it were that simple. Unfortunately, wines go through a clarifying process called fining to take out sediment molecules like proteins and tannins. The fining agents determine whether the wine is vegan. Traditionally, gelatin, egg whites, casein, and fish bladder protein are used as fining agents.

However, vegan fining agents have hit the market and are becoming more popular. Nowadays, clay-based bentonite and activated charcoal are quite popular. Alternatively, giving the wine enough time to self-stabilize gets rid of the need for fining agents at all.

Here are ten new vegan wines or wine brands to check out for your next wine and (vegan) cheese party!

Founded by Julianne Hough and Nina Dobrev, Fresh Vine Wines is a vegan, low-carb, and low-calorie wine brand. The celebrities launched the wine brand in early 2021 with a Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and ros. The grapes are grown throughout California and bottles in Napa Valley. You can buy Fresh Vine Wines in several locations in the United States or on their website.

Founded by Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power, Avaline is a vegan wine company thats also organic and entirely free from colors or concentrates. Instead of using egg whites or gelatin as fining agents, Avaline uses bentonite clay to help filter out their wines. Diaz and Powers recognized that winemakers dont legally have to disclose a lot when it comes to whats in their products, and they wanted to change that.

Originating from South Africa, this is a great winter red wine. Its fruity, woody, medium-bodied, and robust on the palate. The 2020 Syrah has notes of anise, clove, cranberry, and cherry. The wine is sustainably made and uses natural yeast for its fermentation process. We think this would be delicious with a barbeque tempeh or tofu dish.

Founded by model and actress Christie Brinkley, Bellissima sparkling wines are all organic and made from grapes from Treviso, Italy. The brand is dedicated to being environmentally friendlyeven the ink of the packaging is organic! While the wines are new they are newly available on the online market. Ordering wine without leaving the couch? Yes, please!

This vegan-friendly wine is a collaboration between Sarah Jessica Parker and Invivo Wines. The Invivo X, SJP Sauvignon Blanc is from Marlborough, New Zealand. It has a flavor profile of tropical and citrus fruits, with a touch of oak, making it perfect to serve chilled during the warmer months. Invivo X, SJP also has a vegan-friendly Ros.

Another dry and acidic wine, this Sauvignon Blanc from Alma Libre is a scrumptious vegan white wine option. It has notes of melon, pear, guava, citrus, and pineapple. People often associate white wine with seafood, but you can enjoy this wine with a refreshing vegan dish, too. Its best to enjoy this wine chilled.

Moving onto a red wine, this Tempranillo by Wonderful Wine Co. is rich, warm, and slightly earthy. It pairs well with salad, fries, pasta with red sauce, and Thai food. The best way to service this Tempranillo is to chill it then let it warm up in the glass. Wonderful Wine Co.s slogan is Clean Wine for Better Living and all their wines are made from organic grapes and are low-sulfite.

If youre looking for a low-sugar white blend to enjoy with your next meal, this LAtelier du Sud might be a perfect pairing. Its delicate and dry with notes of honey, lychee, lemon, and white flowers. Some wines can be overpowering, but this 2020 White Blend subtly engages the palette. This is a great wine to keep around because it pairs nicely with a variety of dishes from Thai food to pizza.

Made in Minervois, France, Cherries & Rainbows is sustainably farmed and marketed as for the modern wine drinker. The wine was a collaboration between Wincs Ryan Zotovich and winemaker Robert Eden and has quite good reviews. Its more fruity than anything with notes of blackberry, cherry, dried herbs, and vanilla. This is the perfect wine for a pizza and movie night.

This crisp white wine from Austria has been recommended as an alternative to Sauvignon Blanc. It has notes of lime zest, melon, pineapple, and white flowers. It has a touch of earthiness to it, but its the fruitiness that really stands out on the palette. There are a lot of great vegan cheeses on the market, and this 2020 Gner Veltliner would pair wonderfully with them.

There are a plethora of delectable and exciting vegan wines on the market and we predict that even more wineries will move towards making their wines vegan-friendly in the future. If youve tried one or more of these wines already, let us know what you thought of them!

For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to theOne Green Planet Newsletter! Lastly, being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please considersupporting us by donating!

Here is the original post:

10 New Vegan Wines on the Market - One Green Planet

The holiday season is here, and no holiday party, no matter how small or intimate, feels complete if there isn't any eggnog. Yes, that age-old creamy sweet concoction, with the right amount of bite and nostalgia for days when the company Christmas party looked like a scene from Mad Men is still as popular today as ever.Despite its name, there is not a single egg in our recipe, which is made without a touch of cream or dairy, so anyone, vegans and non-vegans alike, can now enjoy this classic drink of old.

These days you can even find delicious, egg-free nog in your refrigerator case at the supermarket, and some of the milk carton versions actually do a pretty good job of mimicking that iconic creamy, nutmeg-y taste of everyone's favorite festive winter drink.If you're living theplant-based life, you might even think of having fun making your own batch for friends (you don't even have to tell them it's dairy-free. That's between you and Santa). Here are our favorite store-bought dairy-free eggnogs to help celebrate the holidays.

Almond Breeze isa classic-tasting eggnog that everyone will love for theholidays. Almond Breezemilk alternatives have never failed us. andthe brand'seggnog lives up to all expectations we have to the taste and texture, despite the fact that it's dairy-free. It's one of the most allergen-friendly options. since it's not onlydairy-free but also soy-free, lactose-free, peanut-free, casein-free, egg-free, and gluten-free.

We loved this one served up plain, but we alsothink Almond Breeze is a tasty option for your spiked eggnog. Almond Breeze's nog will fool your non-vegan guests into thinking they're drinking the real deal. Serve it up and then show them the carton after!

Trader Joe's almond-based eggnog was an office favorite and you should run, don't walk, to get your hands on a container. If you don't like overly sweetened eggnog and you are happy with a thinner consistency, this one is the nog for you. A true eggnog lover will search for the spicy and sweet flavors found in traditional eggnogs, but healthier is always our goal so we were thrilled with TJ's formula. The thinner pour makes this the perfect choice for a nog latte.

The office was divided on Califia's Holiday Nog: Some of our coworkers found the spices and taste to resemble the exact taste of the traditional nog they grew up with, whereas others thoughtit tasted too sweet, like liquid candy. This nog is for anyone who lovesnotes of nutmeg and ginger. Califia's is also the creamiest option of the bunch, and makes you feel like you're indulging in a sweet treat but with only 1.5 grams of fat and no saturated fat, it's the kind of plant-based treat that isn't too terrible for you. So enjoy!

Good Karma's Flaxmilk Holiday Nog is perfect for anyone who is nut-free or who doesn't like the taste and consistency of almond milk. This nog is the most allergen-friendly since it is free of the top eight allergens including, gluten, dairy, and nuts. The holiday nog is made with flaxseed oil andmost closely resemblesthe texture of traditional nog.

If you enjoy a creamer on the sweeter side, then you will loveGood Karma's nog. Want to fancy up your morning joe? This "veg-nog" blends perfectly with a cup of strong coffee, creating a sweetened holiday-infused morning beverage. We appreciate the relativelylow carbs (8g per serving), so this is your best betif you're watching your waist and still want to feel like you'recelebrating the holidays in style.

So Delicious is one of those companies that named itself perfectly. Sip their almond milk-eggnog and you want to say the words! The consistency oftheir nog mimicsconventional ones perfectly, witha rich taste and the same creamy thickness as real nog. The coconut flavor adds a nice taste for a holiday bevy, but treat this nog as an indulgence since it has 2 grams of saturated fat and 15 grams of carbs. So what? YOLO and it's the holidays. Add this sweet dairy-free nog to your grocery list.

What can we say? We love Elmhurst, which switched from being a dairy company to a plant-based company back in 2017 (way ahead of its time) and changed the name to Elmhurst 1925. Now it's thefastest-growing plant-based beverage company on the market! You can tell your guests that as you serve them this amazingly homemade tasting eggnog, which is made with oat milk, and just the right amount of sweetness and spice.

Elmhurst 1925's Oat Nog formula is that holy grail of eggnogs: the perfect combination of flavor and sweetness without being too thick or too sweet. It's as good as real without being over the top. Made with only six ingredients, Elmhurst 1925's Oat Nog makes the perfect holiday coffee creamer or mixer for your holiday gathering. Do leave the cartonin view, since it will be a conversation starter among your guests.

Not a fan of store-bought vegan eggnogs? (If you taste our favorites you might change your mind.) But if you prefer to make your holiday treats and beverages from scratch, this recipe will become a family favorite for years to come.

Prep Time: 1 Cook Time: 15 Total Time: 16 minutes (make it 1 to 2 hours ahead to allow it to cool) Yield: 6 1x

For more great product reviews and recommendations of vegan products, including editors' favorites and our ratings out of five for both health and taste, check out The Beet Meters. We review non-dairy creamers, plant-based milks, dairy-free pizzas, non-dairy cheeses and more.

Excerpt from:

Vegan Eggnog: The Best DIY and Store Bought Options - The Beet

When I first encountered Joanne Lee Molinaros cooking videos, I didnt realize she was making food. Tucked between one TikTok dance and an arresting drag queen makeup tutorial, her audio stopped me in my tracks before I even noticed her cooking.

Gorgeous food videos are almost a dime a dozen, and Molinaros sumptuous and romantic TikTok posts are no exception. Think moody lighting catching every wisp of steam, or close-ups of spoons and chopsticks stirring rice or omelets or bowls of noodles, each perfectly imperfect crack or texture exposed. In many cases, Molinaro doesnt even offer a recipe, nary a measurement. Instead, Molinaros gentle and confident voiceover guides viewers through a 60-second story from her life as a daughter of immigrants, a lawyer, cook, and now cookbook author. The food? Stunning, but not the point.

In many ways, Molinaros The Korean Vegan Cookbook is an extension of her poetic and personal social media presence. An exploration of popular and less-traveled dishes from the Korean gastronomical lexicon, its a debut cookbook that I have not been able to put down.

Molinaros lyrical stories about her familys immigrant experience full of family photos and with gorgeous, aesthetic photography gained her millions of TikTok followers over the last year, as people found her on that platform. Her vulnerability and empathy translate to the page, like when she describes her suburban upbringing: ... at the far end of the yard was my grandmothers pride and joy: dozens of tall, graceful stalks of perilla leaves that turn their heart-shaped faces to the sun like a troupe of ballerinas. Throughout the book, she uses her adapted vegan recipes as a bridge to her heritage.

READ MORE: 2 Pennsylvania companies go big on tofu and tempeh as consumers embrace plant-forward diets

Molinaro started a food blog in 2016 with an eye toward sharing vegan versions of Korean recipes while preserving the details that sometimes get stripped in the rush to bring Korean recipes to the masses. She writes early in her book that veganism remains extremely rare in Korean culture ... I was terrified that going vegan meant losing my Korean-ness.

Molinaro cleverly sidesteps non-vegan Korean ingredients by offering easy-to-make versions at home in any international pantry, like an umami-packed fishy sauce that employs mushrooms among other flavorful ingredients, or a rich Korean barbecue sauce that does double-duty as a marinade or stir-fry sauce. A whole chapter on banchan, the bevy of Korean side dishes that are the delightful workhorses of any meal, is stacked with varied, flavorful dishes like dooboo jeon (tofu cakes), braised lions mane mushrooms, and simply roasted-and-glazed onions.

Some standouts include modern takes on non-Korean dishes, like a truly spicy angry penne pasta, an inspired riff on Italian pasta arrabiata that employs gochujang and gochugaru, Korean red pepper paste and flakes, respectively.

The deceptively simple dooboo kimchi, a modestly prepared dish of boiled tofu with a kimchi mix, has proved to be a regular mainstay in my home its the kind of comforting and quick weeknight meal that I love to assemble in under 20 minutes. It is deeply satisfying sustenance in a humble package.

As the nights get longer and colder, there are recipes Ive earmarked for precisely that purpose, like midnight-black jjajangmyun, a dish of noodles lacquered in a glossy black bean sauce made famous by the film Parasite, and gamja tang, a fortifying potato stew.

READ MORE: Our 6 favorite cookbooks for fall and winter 2021

I am not vegan, not by a long shot, but you dont have to be to enjoy the earthy, robust meals in this book.

Even as Molinaro recounts her stories, the flavors Ive encountered in Korean Vegan transport me to another time in my own life: From middle school through high school, my brothers and I would join our childhood friends, who were Korean, for weekly Bible study at their church. Invariably, the most exciting part of those evenings would be fellowship with the other kids and elders, feasting on plates of bulgogi or omelets, rice, mandoo, kimchi of all varieties.

Cooking through this book and tasting the round heat of gochujang or the fermented tang of kimchi remind me of a simpler time, of eating not my grandparents cooking but that of anothers, and the spirit in which we broke bread and shared food. Theres connection in these recipes. Writes Molinaro: What Ive learned by collecting and sharing these recipes is that what really matters isnt whether the food tastes exactly the way your grandmother made it but how it makes you feel ... They remind me of my mothers perseverance, my fathers laughter. They remind me of home.

Buy The Korean Vegan Cookbook on bookshop.org | Borrow it from the Free Library

In The Korean Vegan Cookbook, Joanne Lee Molinaro offers readers a vegan version of the ubiquitous Korean staple, baechu kimchi, made with Napa cabbage and fermented at home. The process may be intimidating for some readers, and when you dont want to wait a week for quality kimchi but instead need a fast meal, subbing in store-bought vegan products like Mother In Laws Kimchi or Mama Os are available in a pinch, online and in grocery stores. Gochujang and gochugaru (Korean red pepper paste and flakes, respectively) are also commonly available in most grocery stores now.

1 16-ounce block medium-firm tofu

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 large trumpet mushrooms, sliced into -inch-thick pieces

Salt

tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sesame oil

large onion, julienned

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups kimchi, roughly chopped

cup plus 1 tablespoon spicy gochujang dressing (below)

1 scallion, chopped

1 Korean green chili, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Gochujang dressing

cup gochujang

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Make the gochujang dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients. Add 1 tablespoon of water and continue to stir. The sauce should be the consistency of salad dressing. If it is too thick, add another tablespoon of water to thin it out. Gochujang dressing can be stored in a cover container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

In a small pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add the whole block of tofu gently to the pot. Cook the tofu for 8 to 9 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms in a single layer and cook until both sides are evenly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Do not cover the mushrooms. Reserve the pan.

Remove the tofu from the boiling water and gently slice the block in half. If the center is still cool to the touch, place both halves back into the boiling water for 2 more minutes. When the tofu is completely cooked, remove from water and pat dry with a clean kitchen or paper towel. Slice the tofu into -inch-thick pieces. Set aside.

Set the reserved pan used to cook the mushrooms over medium heat. Add tablespoon of sesame oil and the remaining tablespoon olive oil to the pan. When the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and cook until the onions turn translucent and the garlic starts to brown, about 2 minutes.

Add the kimchi and mushrooms to the pan and saute all the contents until the kimchi starts to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cup of the gochujang dressing to the pan and stir all the ingredients until evenly coated with the sauce. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Add the scallion and chile, sprinkle with the toasted sesame seed, and drizzle with the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil.

To serve, place the sauteed kimchi mixture in the center of a round platter and arrange the tofu slices in a circle along the edge. Drizzle the tofu with the remaining 1 tablespoon gochujang dressing.

1 12-ounce box penne pasta

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

cup chopped red onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 Korean red chili or serrano chili, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 cups roughly chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon gochugaru

1 tablespoon gochujang

Parsley, minced, to garnish (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and begin cooking according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, in a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the red onion, garlic, bell pepper, Korean chile, salt, and black pepper and cook until the onions become translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and more salt to the pot and continue stirring occasionally. Add the gochugaru and gochujang and stir until the vegetables are evenly coated. Add cup of the starchy pasta cooking water to the pot and stir.

Remove the vegetable mixture from the heat and blend the contents with an immersion blender (you can also transfer to a regular blender; be careful with the hot contents of the pot).

When the pasta has 1 more minute to go, drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Set the pot over medium heat and add the blended sauce. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Garnish with parsley, if using, and serve.

Read this article:

Korean Vegan, one of the best cookbooks of the year, is big on flavor and comfort - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Photo courtesy of Askanya Chocolates

Vegan chocolate is the perfect present for a friend or family member who's vegan or has dairy allergies, and these selections would bring the wow factor to any celebration. Recent vegans who miss dairy-based candy bars will love the milk chocolate bars made with almond milk or oat milk. There are lots of dark chocolate choices, too.

With special festive flavors, gorgeous gift packaging and ethically sourced ingredients, many of these chocolates are also perfect for displaying in gift baskets or stuffing in stockings.

Photo courtesy of Lagusta's Luscious

Lagusta's Luscious is a small, charming chocolaterie with a focus on vegan, ethically made artisanal chocolates. Their Winter Wonderland Box showcases the wonderful flavors of the season. It includes cranberry orange caramels, apple caramels, peppermint white chocolate bonbons, hazelnut sugar plum bonbons and more.

They also offer a holiday bark thats 65% chocolate with white chocolate leaves and swirls, tart cherries, mint sugar and candied citrus fruit.

The shop also had a Festival of Lights Collection that included Hanukkah treats such as hand-piped dreidels, gelt and latke bonbons.

Photo courtesy of Vosges Haut-Chocolat

The vegan truffle collection from Vosges Haut-Chocolat offers a fun variety of decadent flavors. Forest Raspberry Rose, I.G.P. Piemonte Hazelnut and Sicilian Blood Orange sound sophisticated, and each one has a one-of-a-kind taste.

Each truffle is made with early-harvest Mediterranean olive oil and 72% cacao dark chocolate. Additionally, the Forest Raspberry Rose has raspberry rose gele, Bulgarian rose water and raspberry powder. Theyre all about pure and delectable ingredients. These gourmet chocolates are made with minimal sugar because fruit is used as a sweetener.

Photo courtesy of Pascha

White chocolate was something that vegans used to just do without if they didnt know how to make plant-based versions at home. Pascha has perfected the vegan white chocolate bar. Its just right for holiday snacking, baking and creating gingerbread houses. It has a rich, creamy flavor, and its made with a rice milk base.

Paschas white chocolate bar is organic, certified vegan and made without the top 8 major food allergens. (Those allergens include nuts, dairy, soy and wheat.) Pascha also makes two rice-based baking chips that go well in many holiday cookie recipes.

Photo courtesy of No Whey! Foods

From their Hanukkah chocolate treats to their Christmas advent calendar with a different chocolate for 24 days, No Whey! brings a lot of joy and chocolate to the holiday season. One of their popular treats is the milkless peppermint bark with its blend of vegan milk chocolate and vivid, refreshing peppermint.

Since No Whey! is a vegan company, all their chocolates are dairy-free. Their holiday signature truffle collection is full of festive flavors like "milk" fudge, Grand Marnier, raspberry, coffee and salted caramel. For stocking stuffers, the Christmas lollipop collection features chocolates on a stick that are shaped like a gingerbread man, a reindeer and Santa Claus.

Photo courtesy of La Maison du Chocolat

Those who love dark chocolate and fruity confections will spark to La Maison du Chocolats vegan gift box. The French chocolate maker is known for its silky, smooth chocolates, and its easy to see why with these treats in five different flavors.

Raspberry, passion fruit, lemon, orange and blackcurrant chocolates are included in this gift box. They have a delectable long fruit finish and a creamy texture. Most have a dash of coconut milk chocolate for added sweetness and softness. The ingredients are simple and the taste is pure.

Photo courtesy of Chocolate Inspirations

Chocolate Inspirations loves to go all out for the holidays. Although the company doesnt exclusively make vegan treats, they bring vegans along for the festive fun. Among their seasonal vegan treats are gourmet vegan chocolate covered caramel corn, a double peppermint bark and truffle bars.

The vegan artisan toffees, brittles and chocolate barks are all beloved treats during the winter months. Their vegan cinnamon toast toffee is perfectly infused with cinnamon and dipped in dark chocolate before being sprinkled with a cinnamon sugar blend. And the cinnamon sugared pecans are salty pecan halves that are coated in the special Chocolate Inspirations cinnamon sugar glaze.

Photo courtesy of Theo Chocolate

The Nutcracker Brittle from Theo Chocolate is a yummy seasonal treat. It has hazelnuts, as well as sweet and crunchy brittle pieces mixed into the 55% dark chocolate bar. Its finished off with a pinch of salt that makes the flavors really pop. Another holiday is the peppermint crunch bar that's a combination of organic peppermint oil, delectable brittle and dark chocolate.

10Best

10BEST

Photo courtesy of Goodio

Goodio is a chocolate company that aspired to accelerate positive change with its chocolates. Its Winter Glow chocolate is a delightful chocolate bar with 50% cacao thats handmade in Finland. Other pure, simple ingredients include coconut flakes, cinnamon and cranberries. The gourmet chocolate bar is then topped with mulled wine crystals for extra scrumptiousness.

Photo courtesy of Real Mushrooms

You may not think that mushrooms and chocolate are a natural pair, but they go together wonderfully for a treat thats healthy and delicious. This Real Mushrooms chocolate bar is 75% dark chocolate, and it has ingredients to support the immune system. As a plus, this chocolate bar is non-GMO and made from ingredients that are certified organic.

Photo courtesy of Wei of Chocolate

Wei of Chocolate is known for their melt-in-your-mouth chocolate treats in rich, creative flavors. Some of their flavors that are a perfect fit for the holidays include the Peppermint Dark Chocolate bar that is 68% cacao and the Sacred Body Dark Chocolate that is 72% cacao. Their candy is organic and vegan, and its made from ethically sourced cacao.

Photo courtesy of Cocomels

Cocomels vegan caramels are tastier than any traditional ones with dairy. Now the company also makes a variety of delicious chocolates, and their seasonal gift boxes and special flavors are popular presents at the holidays.

Their toffee gift box has crunchy, tasty coconut milk caramel toffee bark pieces that are covered in rich dark chocolate. Their holiday gift box of chocolate-covered caramels is filled with creamy coconut milk caramels that are covered with 70% dark chocolate and then finished with sea salt.

Photo courtesy of That's it.

That's it. recently launched a line of vegan chocolate truffles that are made with minimal, organic ingredients. Their dark chocolate date, dark chocolate fig, dark chocolate banana and dark chocolate raisin flavors are all made from fair trade-certified cacao. Theyre all made from four basic ingredients: fruit, organic unsweetened chocolate, organic sugar and organic cocoa butter.

Photo courtesy of UNREAL

If you love and miss M&Ms, UNREALs dark chocolate crispy gems and dark chocolate peanut gems are great alternatives. UNREAL has a vegan variety pack that includes those in addition to almond butter cups and peanut butter cups.

They come in convenient bags that close easily for quick snacking. The brand is known for not using any sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners, and they use 51% less sugar than leading candy brands.

10Best

10BEST

Photo courtesy of Askanya Chocolates

Askanya Chocolates offers mini dark candy bars that are ideal stocking stuffers. Their beautiful, artful packaging hints at the pure, delicate chocolate taste within. Theyre made with natural and ethically sourced ingredients like cacao, lime, artisanal cane sugar and orange.

Chocolate bar flavors include Minuit, Bouquet Vert (lime chocolate) and Soly (orange chocolate). In addition to being vegan, all their chocolates are gluten-free and soy-free.

Photo courtesy of Charm School Chocolate

The coconut milk chocolates from Charm School Chocolate are creamier and more delicious than any dairy-based milk chocolates. The coconut milk chocolate bars and confections are great as stocking stuffers and gift basket treats. Their vanilla bean white chocolate wows with its flavor that comes from Madagascar vanilla beans, and the caramel malt bar is a creative sweet treat.

Photo courtesy of Gigantic!

The Gigantic! Double Dark Mint candy bar is a special-edition holiday flavor. Its made with fair trade dark chocolate and plant-based coconut milk caramel for an authentically sweet taste. The chocolatey caramel filling and crunchy cacao nibs with refreshing mint flavor notes make a uniquely delicious bar.

Photo courtesy of Taza Chocolate

One thing that new vegans are afraid of sacrificing are good, old-fashioned candy bars. Happily, there are a a lot of milk chocolate alternatives, and its hard to find one thats as delicious as Taza Chocolate's milk chocolate bars that have an almond milk base. Theyre flavorful and fulfilling, and theyre sweetened only with pure coconut sugar.

Taza Chocolate's almond milk chocolate bars come in three flavors: Crunchy Cashew, Quinoa Crunch and Classic. Theyre fun for gift baskets and stockings!

Photo courtesy of Hu Kitchen - Whole Foods

Hu Kitchen makes a variety of chocolates, including a gift collection thats sold exclusively at Whole Foods Market. Some of their festive bars include Hu Kitchen Pumpkin Spice Dark Chocolate and Hu Kitchen Gingerbread Dark Chocolate. Other popular flavors that are also often enjoyed at the holidays are the Cashew Butter + Vanilla Bean and the Hazelnut Butter.

Photo courtesy of Sjaak's

Sjaak's creates a variety of holiday-themed chocolates that are mouthwateringly delicious and fun. Their festive snowballs are made with vegan white chocolate thats filled with almond butter then rolled with coconut flakes. Their Santa-shaped vegan milk chocolate lollipops make ideal stocking stuffers and nobody will miss the dairy when eating this creamy, vegan milk chocolate. The holiday gift boxes of Sjaak's chocolates are great standalone presents, too.

Photo courtesy of photo courtesy of Rabbit Food Grocery

Go Max Go candy bars are a wonderfully indulgent treat for when you miss traditional milk chocolate candy bars. They have artfully recreated (and sometimes improved upon) the candy bars that most of us grew up on. However, all their candy bars are made from plant-based milks and are completely vegan.

If you miss Reeses peanut butter cups, try their Cleos peanut butter cups. Mahalo bars are an easy substitute for Almond Joy candy bars. Similarly, Go Max Gos Jokerz is better than the Snickers bar you remember. Snap! is a creamy rice milk chocolate bar that tastes a lot like a Crunch bar.

See original here:

Delicious chocolate treats that make it easy to go vegan this holiday season - USA Today 10Best

The morning after winning the New York City mayors race, in November, Eric Adams stopped for breakfast at Marinellos Gourmet Deli, in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Adams will be the citys first vegan mayor. Last year, he published Healthy at Last, a book about his strict plant-based diet, which he credits with reversing a diabetes diagnosis he received in 2016. His campaign platform, which focussed on public safety and fears of crime, also included proposals for food access and equity, which he considers public-health issues. In Bushwick, a specially made vegan sandwich was waiting for him: spinach, red onion, avocado, egg substitute, and a potato-based queso sauce, all wrapped in a tortilla. Heard @eatplantega was on a mission to bring healthy foods to more NYC communities and that they created a wrap in my honor, Adams, who had stayed up late the night before with Ja Rule and Eric Schmidt at the members-only Manhattan night club Zero Bond, tweeted. [S]o naturally I had to stop by on Wednesday and try the Mayors Wrap and fuel back up after a long campaign!

The shoutout was a coup for Plantega, a vegan-sandwich company whose menu is currently offered in fourteen bodegas around town. According to Plantegas C.E.O., Nil Zacharias, New York has somewhere between eight thousand and fourteen thousand bodegas, independently operated catchall stores, open late and frequented by most. Theyre critical infrastructure, Zacharias said. Marinellos, a large corner shop on a busy block across from Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, stocks a typical inventory; Plantega is trying to expand the offerings at the deli counter. Inside the display case, breaded chicken cutlets and hunks of provolone sat beside slabs of plant-based egg, sausage, and fish substitutes. Zacharias, who was born in Mumbai, is a forty-four-year-old former lawyer and digital marketer. He began working in food after adopting a plant-based diet, eleven years ago, and likes to say that his company offers a plant-based menu-in-a-box for everyday stores, where regular people shop. You cant force someone to go from eating a sausage-egg-and-cheese to eating a kale salad, he said. Its all about changing the environment in which people consume food rather than forcing them to change their habits.

Plantegas bright-colored menu was hanging below a Boars Head poster. Launched under the auspices of a social-impact incubator called EFFECT Partners, which is based in Minneapolis, Plantega is a kind of middleman business. It sources plant-based foods from producers around the world, creates recipes that mimic popular deli offerings, and then pitches bodega owners on incorporating its menu into their existing deli counteroffering to train staff, cordinate deliveries, and help with marketing. Its a humbling experience, Zacharias said, of talking to store owners. If theyre a good bodega, the owner is working there, and has no time to talk to youthe biggest challenge is getting their attention. His pitch is simple, he said: I noticed you have a deli counter. Do you have any vegetarian options? And the second question is, Do customers ask for that? And the answer, nine out of ten times, is yes, many of them are asking for it. And then thats a good lead-in for me to show them my menu. It usually takes a few tries before they agree, because they are very skeptical.

Eight Plantega sandwiches were on the menu at Marinellos, each priced under ten dollars, including a sausage-egg-and-cheese made with Beyond Sausage, Just Egg, Follow Your Heart cheeseour flagship product, Zacharias saidand a butter roll made with Miyokos cultured vegan butter that Zacharias deemed classic New York. Two sandwichesa fish burger made with Good Catch breaded fish fillet and a barbecue pulled-pork sandwich made with substitute pork strips produced by a Hong Kong company called Omniwere new to the menu. This would have not been possible two or three years ago, Zacharias said. Because the products that we need to make it possible did not exist.

I ordered a Plantega sausage-egg-and-cheese from one of Marinellos grill guys, Leo Vivar Martinez. You got to be careful how you cook it, Vivar Martinez said. I try to keep a spot on the grill only for vegan products. The cheese is particularly tricky. If you make it too hot, it turns to oil, Zacharias told me. Because its made of oil. According to Vivar Martinez, Marinellos sells about forty Plantega sandwiches a day. Bushwick is a gentrifying neighborhood, with an increasing number of vegans. But non-vegans were ordering the sandwiches, too, including nurses from the hospital across the street. You know, the plant-based thing has a halo of health, Zacharias told me. We get asked the question often, like, is it truly healthier? And it depends what you compare it to, right? From an absolute standpoint, fruits and vegetablesreal foodare the healthiest things to eat. But, relatively speaking, we are definitely healthier. To me, its a degree of health.

When my sandwich was ready, Zacharias and I walked out to the sidewalk, where three Plantega employees were offering samples of the fish burger and the barbecue pulled-pork sandwich to passersby. I took a bite of the breakfast sandwich and then tried the others. The fish burger was soy-protein-based, with some other seasonings, Ava Nadel, one of the employees, said. I think they use an umami blend and different isolates to compound a seafood flavoring.

Probably has kelp in it, Zacharias added. (Good Catch, the maker of the burger, lists its ingredients as a six-legume blend of peas, chickpeas, lentils, soy, fava beans and navy beans, natural vegan fish flavors derived from seaweed and a blend of spices.)

Like traditional bodega sandwiches, Plantega sandwiches rely on taste and texture contrasts to become more than the sum of their parts. The breakfast sandwich was hot, chewy, salty, rich. The barbecue pulled-pork sandwich was sweet, savory, and pleasingly messy. Many of the pleasures of a deli sandwich are already plant-based: the way a hot kaiser roll will steam and soften when wrapped in foil, the refreshing crunch of shredded lettuce and onions cutting through salt and creaminess. The people trying the samples seemed to like them. You can get them twenty-four hours? one man asked, after being told that they were on sale inside. A man named Richard Thomas, on his way to a medical appointment, took a bite of the barbecue pulled-pork sandwich, and said, thoughtfully, Ive never eaten a vegan sandwich before. It interests me. Fatheh Cheema, a fourth-year medical student at Wyckoff, politely held a hand in front of his mouth as he chewed a fish burger. This one is fish? he asked. It actually has the texture and feel of chicken. Id say its pretty good.

Plantega is not alone in the vegan-sandwich market. Gregorys Coffee, a local chain with thirty-six locations, has started offering a plant-based breakfast sandwich. Vodega, a store on Staten Island, offers its own version of plant-based deli sandwiches. Zacharias said it was a matter of time before major national chains got in on the trend. In the beginning, we were doing a lot of explaining, he said. We used to give people a whole spiel about why you should eat these products. And we realized that just wasnt the right approach. The right approach is make it attractive, make it fun, and incentivize people to try and just because it looks cool, and maybe if they tasted, they would get it.

Last weekend, Eric Adams unveiled the transition team for his incoming mayoralty. Zacharias was listed as a contributor to the food-policy team. As Brooklyn borough president, Adams has pushed to ban bologna and other processed meats from school lunch menustheres absolutely no reason why we should continue poisoning our childrens health with processed foods, he saidand ordered the vending machines at Borough Hall stocked with nuts and protein bars. As mayor, he has said, he will increase funding for the Office of Food Policy, and leverage the citys food-procurement power to shift to a more healthy, sustainable, fair, and humane food system. Zacharias actually first met the Mayor-elect in 2018, when he went to Brooklyn Borough Hall to interview Adams for a podcast he hosted called Eat for the Planet. When I got there, he was baking bread, Zacharias recalled. And I sat down with him and I was like, O.K., hes not faking it.

Read this article:

The Vegan Bodega Sandwiches That Eric Adams Wants to See in the World - The New Yorker

Dear Annie: Last weekend, I got a text from my dad that said: Im going vegan LOL. (Yes, he says LOL. Hes hip like that.) I laughed and brushed it aside, but during dinner last night, he and my stepmom told me they are serious about it. It definitely took me by surprise, but I was supportive and excited about the idea, so much so that I even went with him to Barnes & Noble to pick out an awesome vegan cookbook. But since then, Ive been having a strangely emotional reaction to his decision.

We love to eat. Thats our thing. We go out to dinner, try new, unusual cuisines and eat our way through new cities when traveling. He even seriously considered taking a leave from work to audition for a Food Network show. Some of my best memories involve meals weve shared. And now what? Ill order sashimi, and hell have ... seaweed? I have no issue with the decision itself; Ive done every juice cleanse and 30-day challenge under the sun and I love me some seaweed. I actually find the choice quite admirable.

What I realized is that the child in me is afraid that a piece of our relationship will be lost. Through my parents (nasty) divorce, no matter how things were between them or between us no matter when new people came into the picture and old people left whenever we sat down at the table, all of the yuckiness melted away. This feels like one more thread of consistency and connection being cut.

View post:

Dear Annie: Daughter supports parents going vegan, but worries dining on seaweed will change their relationship - Greensboro News & Record

It seems that every week in the world of vegan food is more exciting than the last and this week is no exception. While the details are still hush, it looks like Starburst will be giving gummy candy fans a gelatin-free option in the coming months. And speaking of sweet treats, TCHO is ditching dairy to become a totally vegan company. Over in Asia, Noble Foodsa vegan meat company launched by meat industry veteransis giving China a taste of its plant-based jerky, and massive chain Caf de Coral is treating diners to a vegan version of classic dish Pork Claypot Rice thanks to OmniFoods popular vegan pork. Read on for more.

Starburst was developed in the United Kingdom in 1960 and there, it does not contain gelatinwhich is sourced from collagen found in animal bones. While that might sound like an icky thing to have in your candy, Starburst has never offered a gelatin-free version of any of its candies in the United States. But that may soon change.

This week, Starburst took to its Instagram stories with a photo that stopped us in our tracks: a little pink baggie emblazoned with the message Plant Based Gummies depicting classic orange, lemon, cherry, and strawberry flavors. While we wait to hear back from its parent company Mars Wrigley, we cant help but wonder: are vegan pink strawberry chews next?

Chocolate brand TCHO is done with dairy and will be ditching the animal product entirely by 2023 in order to set a new standard in the artisan chocolate industry. Its professional products, used by bakeries and restaurants nationwide, will be ditching dairy even sooner in 2022. Instead of using dairy productswhich carry a large carbon footprint compared to their plant-based counterpartsTCHO will focus on new bases such as cashew butter and oat milk. TCHO is showcasing its vegan innovation in six new bars which will eventually replace its dairy chocolate offerings.

Reducing our reliance on dairy is one of the quickest ways TCHO can lighten our impact on the environment, Josh Mohr, Vice President of Marketing at TCHO, said in a statement. While this will not be an easy transition for us, we know its the right one.

To sweeten the deal, TCHOs packaging is now fully recyclable and made with 100-percent post-consumer waste paper and certified compostable film.

Treeline started its French-inspired vegan cheese business in New Yorks Hudson Valley in 2011 and continues to innovate the category with the recent launch of vegan goat cheese. Now, wed be happy with just one plain ol vegan goat cheesesince easily accessible options are few and far betweenbut Treeline gave us three: a plain and versatile Original, the herbaceous Garlic & Basil, and a fruity Blueberry.

Made with ethically sourced cashews from Brazil that are ground into a cream and then fermented to produce deep and complex flavors, Treelines goat cheeses are meant to be used in a variety of ways.

Treelines vegan goat cheese is now available through its own website and is scheduled to launch at stores in Spring 2022.

This week an iconic dish got a vegan makeover thanks to a partnership between two Hong Kong companies: plant-based food-tech company OmniFoods and popular restaurant chain Caf de Coral. The duo collaborated to make the dish, swapping pork from pigs for pork from plants (OmniPork). The result is an indulgent dish that doesnt harm animals or the planet.

The unprecedented collaboration marks two local brands in Hong Kong introducing an authentic Hong Kong-styled dish, which has been received with great reception from customers, representing another milestone of our group, OmniFoods founder David Yeung said in a statement. We share the mission to promote sustainability, to spearhead a revolutionary change in the market We are eager to launch more collaborations with OmniFoods products, indulging customers with plant-based delicacies while tackling environmental crises together.

Find the new vegan dish at more than 160 locations of Caf de Coral across Hong Kong.

The Urbani family produced meat products for 50 years until CEO Claudio Urbani realized that feeding a growing world population with animal products was not sustainable. In 2018, Urbani Foods was formed and it now makes vegan jerky using a half century of meat industry expertise. The vegan jerky has been available at various retailers since and expanded into Walmart locations across Canada.

This week, Urbani Foods expanded distribution of its plant-based Noble Jerky to serve the steadily growing vegan population of Chinawhere there are more vegans than the entire population of Australia. Urbani Foods vegan jerky is now available at 36 Sams Club locations.

Our desire to make plant-based protein snacks accessible to everyone reflects this new expansionand it is hardly our last one, Urbani Foods Co-Founder Jordan Urbani said in a statement. Nobles core mission is to help our local and global communities live better and healthier livestoday, we extend a special thank you to Sams Club China, together we will make vegan accessible and effortless to everyone in the country.

And for the last bit of vegan news this week, weve got something meaty. The two newest C-suite members of Beyond Meatone of the main companies driving the plant-based revolutionare Doug Ramsey and Bernie Adcock. Who are Doug and Bernie, you ask? They used to work for a little company named Tyson for 30 years apiece. Both executives bring decades of knowledge to Beyond Meat and will help it scale globally.

Also, it turns out that Ramsey was President of Tysons McDonalds business and its no coincidence that Beyond Meat is currently working with the fast-food giant to develop plant-based menu items under its McPlant platform. Were lovin it!

For more about the latest vegan news, read:Matt + Nat Makes Vegan Leather Handbags From Apple Waste Vegan Ice Cream Pioneer Nadamoo! Secures $10 Million Investment Impossible Cheeseburgers Are Grubhubs Top Order of 2021

Anna Starostinetskaya is the Senior News Editor at VegNews and is always keeping an eye on all things vegan in her home city of San Francisco, CA and everywhere else.

GIFT SUBSCRIPTION SALE! Give VegNews this holiday season at a super-sweet price. And get one for yourself, too!

Subscribe

GIFT SUBSCRIPTION SALE! Give VegNews this holiday season at a super-sweet price. And get one for yourself, too!

Subscribe

Read the original:

Gelatin-Free Starburst Is Coming Your Way and More Vegan Food News of the Week - VegNews

Vegan cheese giant Daiya Foods just announced that it will redesign its plant-based cheese recipe to better the taste, texture, and nutritional value of its signature product. The plant-based cheese brand plans to distribute a reformulated recipe of its vegan cheese, now including oats and chickpeas meant to maximize the creaminess and taste of the companys cheese blocks. The company intends to maximize its products versatility before the holidays, hoping that the new and improved cheese block can be easily used in a variety of recipes.

As more and more people continue exploring plant-based foods, were more committed than ever to developing crave-worthy, plant-based versions of their favorite foods that deliver on the delicious taste, texture, and flavor they expect, Daiyas Vice President of Marketing Dan Hua said in a statement. Our new Daiya Blocks are available just in time for the holidays, giving new and current fans dairy-free options that deliver exceptional taste and texture and which can be easily incorporated into favorite recipes to satisfy comfort food cravings.

The newly released Daiya cheese blocks will range in flavor, includingMedium Cheddar, Jalapeno Havarti, Smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack flavors that will all begin including the oat and chickpea ingredients. The company revealed that it chose the two new ingredients to avoid allergens in its recipes, maintaining its soy, gluten, and nut-free status.

Founded in 2008, Daiya has established itself as a central figure in the vegan dairy industry. The Canadian company entered the North American market as a pioneer for vegan cheese products, promising a plant-based cheese that would replicate dairys melting capabilities. The brand expanded to include several flavors available in spread, shreds, sliced, and block formats.

Daiya maintains its position as one of the key companies fueling the plant-based cheese market. A report from Grand View Research found that the global vegan cheese market is projected to have a 12.4 percent growth rate from 2021 to 2028, rising to reach $5.64 billion. The report also indicates that Daiya is a key player for the global vegan cheese market alongside several others including Follow Your Heart, Treeline Cheese, Miyokos Creamery, and more.

Daiyas international presence is continuing to expand at an accelerated rate. Over the last year, the company has partnered with several national chains including Jamba Juice, Fatburger, and Johnny Rockets to feature its vegan cheese on plant-based menu items. The company intends to continue this expansion into retail and foodservice sectors as it improves its recipe to better replicate conventional animal-based cheese products.

The company redesigned its recipe once before in 2019 when it released its Cutting Board label. The innovative product push boasted an enhanced flavor and a more accurate texture. Since then, the company has been working to better its plant-based cheese as more competitors enter the vegan cheese market.

When Daiya entered the plant-based cheese business, North American retailers and foodservice providers barely offered plant-based cheeses. Now, the entire market is saturated by new plant-based cheeses from innovative companies such as Miyokos or Violife and even older dairy brands including BabyBel and Laughing Cow.

Beyond reformulating its recipes, Daiya also recently launched a new foodservice website to meet the rising demand for plant-based options. The website will help Daiya increase its visibility to foodservice providers in colleges, restaurants, healthcare facilities, hospitality venues, and more. The website allows these companies to purchase bulk items at discounted prices. The new site will help Daiya increase its nationwide distribution and overall accessibility for plant-based consumers.

"We recognize the growing opportunity for professional chefs and foodservice operators to grow their businesses by incorporating more plant-based options into their menus, so we're excited to make our delicious, dairy-free products available to groups large and small across multiple channels," Daiya Chief Sales Officer Mike Cooke said.

"Requests for bulk sizes of our award-winning Daiya Slices and Cutting Board Collection Shreds, for instance, have increased twofold over the past 2-3 years. As we continue to address the evolving preferences of today's consumer, our goal is to make our high quality, sustainable, plant-based solutions more accessiblewherever the craving strikes."

Read the rest here:

Daiya Reformulates to Make Vegan Cheese with Oats and Chickpeas - The Beet

The Veganuary campaign, a non-profit encouraging the public to go vegan for January and beyond, has seen millions of participants from almost every country in the world since its inception in 2014 it is a global movement that significantly impacts vegan business: more than 600 brands, restaurants, and supermarkets promoted the campaign 2021, launching more than 825 new vegan products!

Aside from the charitys incredible influence on plant-based business, the results from its six-month follow-up survey of Veganuary 2021 participants revealed a permanent reduction in meat consumption for a large majority, with 68% also reporting health benefits including more energy, better skin and improved mood.

Veganuary is an absolute inspiration and a force to be reckoned with, and we were delighted to catch up with Chief Executive Ria Rehberg.

Whats your background and what did you do before Veganuary?My background is in animal protection and before joining Veganuary I was Co-Executive Director of Animal Equality Germany, the German branch of an international animal protection non-profit, for several years. My academic background is in intercultural communications, so I was very excited to have been chosen by the founders of Veganuary to come on board early in 2019 to lead on Veganuarys international expansion and grow our diverse team all across the globe.

What are you most proud of / what is Veganuarys biggest achievement or milestone in your opinion?The Veganuary campaign and challenge have played a significant role in making veganism more mainstream and creating an environment in which major food companies are investing millions into their Veganuary themed promotions of vegan products and switching to more sustainable animal-free options. Our positive, non-judgmental approach led to the involvement of all of Britains major supermarkets this last January highlighting their vegan options and launching new vegan products to the market and even advocating the reasons to try a vegan diet, such as caring for animals, staying healthy and eating sustainably.

Our positive, non-judgmental approach led to the involvement of all of Britains major supermarkets this last January

To me, this was a major milestone and a clear sign that the huge benefits a more plant-based diet can have on the planet, animals and people alike is now finally a well-known fact that is openly embraced by businesses throughout the food sector.

We all need to do our part to tackle the climate crisis, and Im glad to see that Big Food is making it easier and easier for consumers to make the switch and eat delicious vegan foods without having to compromise on taste or affordability any more.

We all need to do our part to tackle the climate crisis

In how many countries will Veganuary run in 2022?Veganuary runs active campaigns in the UK, Germany, India, the US, Chile, Argentina and Brazil and cooperates with wonderful partner organisations in Italy, Switzerland, France, Singapore, South Africa and Australia who run Veganuary campaigns in their respective countries. That said, we usually have people participating in our one-month challenge from all around the globe last year people from over 200 countries and territories signed up with us to try vegan for a month!

What are the most exciting events highlights for you coming up this year?Im incredibly excited to say that worldwide we have the support of over 100 celebrities this year with several new faces including Joanna Lumley, Venus Williams, Jane Goodall, Benjamin Zephaniah and Deborah Meaden supporting the campaign for the first time which will hopefully help us reach a large audience and encourage millions of people to give vegan a go this year. We also have exciting projects in the pipeline the highlight being our new Cinema Ad, which will be published shortly after Christmas!

Celebrities supporting Veganuary in 2022; how do their contributions benefit the campaign? Can you give some examples of what they have done for the campaignVenus Williams, Jane Goodall, Sadie Frost, Bella Ramsey and Bryan Adams have donated their favourite vegan recipes to Veganuarys 2022 cookbook which all participants receive completely for free which will hopefully encourage a lot of people to try the challenge and support them with delicious recipes along the way!

Chris Packham, who did Veganuary in 2019, is encouraging everyone who cares about climate change to take part this January as he fronts the charitys new campaign video. Hes joined by Hollyoaks star Eva OHara, Emmerdales James Moore, TV presenter Jasmine Harman and Benjamin Zephaniah with heartfelt messages of encouragement in our launch video. And national treasure, actor and activist Joanna Lumley encourages Veganuary participants by stating: Im in awe of every single person taking part for the climate, our rivers and oceans, forests and wild places, animals and people. Youre all angels.

Every single celebrity or influencer backing the campaign, posting about it on social media or supporting us in getting our message out into mainstream media is playing a significant part in helping us make veganism more visible and were incredibly grateful for their important support.

Which big retailers will be partners in 2022? While we cannot yet publicize anything too concrete yet, we are very happy to say that most of Britains major retailers will participate in Veganuary in one way or the other and there are a lot of exciting new launches in the pipeline!

What are your personal highlights of vegan business launches in the past for Veganuary?What a question! There were way too many to have favourites, but I was certainly very pleased to see that just a week after launching, Leons new Vegan Sweet Carolina BBQ Burger swept up the title of its bestselling burger last year and Prets new Meatless Meatball Hot Wrap was the first new product to become a top five bestseller in launch week in Prets history.

We also see a lot of international brands and chains participate in several of our main countries now, so that Ive been able to enjoy Subways plant-based T.L.C. Sub in the UK and their vegan Teriyaki Chicken Sub in Germany for Veganuary last year!

What are the plans for the future what is the mission as a whole and do you have any personal or organisation-wide objectives for the next years?Our mission is to inspire and support people to try vegan, drive corporate change, and create a global mass movement championing compassionate food choices with the aim of ending animal farming, protecting the planet, and improving human health and that is what we will keep working towards! Next year we will work on strengthening our existing flagship countries as well as expanding our presence in Asia, where we are seeing huge potential for a rise in plant-based eating.

View original post here:

Veganuary: "The Veganuary Campaign Has Played a Significant Role in Making Veganism More Mainstream" - vegconomist - the vegan business...