Category Archives: Food Products & Recipes

Vegan cheeses – options abound

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Selection of packets of vegan cheese brands.

One of the foods that non-vegans most often say they could never give up is cheese, made from cow’s milk.  But these days, there are so many great vegan cheeses to choose from, the only real reason not to make the switch is “I haven’t gotten around to it yet.”

Vegan cheeses can be made from many different ingredients.  Coconut oil is a common ingredient which helps to mimic the texture and meltiness of animal-derived cheese.  Cashew nuts or other nuts or seeds can also be used to provide a rich creamy texture. Other ingredients might include thickening agents such as corn starch, potato starch or tapioca. Protein powder from chickpeas or peas might be added, along with a plant-based oil. Acidifiers like lemon juice can give a vegan cheese a tangy flavor, and seasonings such as salt, onion, garlic, nutritional yeast, and herbs can be added to get the flavor just right.

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Nutritional Yeast – the not-so-secret ingredient

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When you decide to move toward a plant-based diet, sooner or later you’re going to discover Nutritional Yeast.  This denatured yeast will not enable your bread to rise, but will add a nutty, cheese-like flavor to meals and snacks, and packs a nutritional punch. 

It comes in the form of golden flakes or a yellow powder, and in just 5g (1 teaspoon) you get 3g protein, and 1g of fiber. It also includes iron, potassium and some antioxidants, plus it’s often fortified with B vitamins including B12. It’s available in packets, shaker jars, or from bulk bins in most grocery stores.

It’s easy to sprinkle on popcorn, oatmeal, cooked vegetables or any other food, with a flavor similar to Parmesan cheese. It can also be added as a thickener to soups and sauces, providing more nutrition than conventional white flour.

Here are some easy recipes to help you easily replace conventional cheese dishes at home:

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Fish sauce goes vegan

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Fish sauce is going vegan. What is fish sauce? It’s a sauce made by fermenting seafood in salt, and it’s usually associated with food from Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam and Thailand. Generally it’s made from anchovies, but tiny shrimp can also be used. The flavor of fish sauce comes from its umami quality – the earthy, savory flavor field that makes things like mushrooms and vegetables taste so complex and craveable. There’s a distinct, pungent aspect to the sauce, sure, but that flavor is flanked by a salty, briny, caramel sweetness.

There was a time when the use of fish sauce made it hard for vegetarians to enjoy Thai food. But those days are over. Sales of plant-based fish sauce are growing quickly – $18 million of plant-based fish sauce was sold in the United States last year and almost $160 million was sold globally – and sales are growing quickly.

There are now so many brands of vegan fish sauce to choose from.  Follow Your Heart, Primal Kitchens, Sir Kingstons, The Vegan Mayo Co., Danone S.A, The Archer Daniels Midland Company, Daiya Foods Inc., Ripple Foods Inc, Impossible Foods Inc., Eat Just, Inc., Beyond Meat, Inc., Amy’s Kitchen, Tofutti Brands Inc., and Earth’s Own Food Company Inc. are some of the major players in the vegan fish sauce market.

So when you next get a craving for Thai or Vietnamese food, be sure to buy or ask if a restaurant uses a vegan fish sauce!

Market for plant-based foods continues to grow

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Every year the market for plant-based foods continues to grow.  Globally, the market for products is expected to grow by about 18% per year to reach almost $92 billion by 2027, according to a new report by market research firm “Research and Markets”. 

The report says that consumer interest is driven by several different factors, including the rising support from medical professionals recognizing the health benefits of plant-based diets. They point to the reduced risk of diseases transmitted by animals and antibiotic resistance, and the ability to feed more people with fewer resources by producing meat from plants, fermentation, or cultivation from animal cells.  They also note that consumers can help to minimize air and water pollution, slow biodiversity loss, and protect the oceans by choosing plant-based options.

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Nestlé launches plant-based Foie Gras

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Nestlé has just come out with a plant-based version of the duck liver pâté, Foie Gras. Nestlé, the multinational food giant, sees plant-based food as one of its biggest growth opportunities.  Based in Switzerland, Nestlé’s products cover everything from baby food, breakfast cereals, coffee and tea to confectionery, dairy products, frozen food and even pet food.  They are produced in 447 factories operating in 189 countries.  So when they decide to launch new plant-based products, it’s a big deal.

One of the products we’re most excited about is their Garden Gourmet Voie Gras, a vegan pâté that mimics the taste and texture of the traditional duck liver pâté, Foie Gras, which is making its debut in Switzerland.  We’ve written before about the horrific way that ducks are treated in order to produce Foie Gras, which is considered a delicacy in many high class restaurants.  However, with various cities, states and even countries banning Foie Gras, the production of an animal-free replacement product seems like a great opportunity.

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Lab grown meat – is it good tech?

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Lab grown meat is the product of new technology but is new tech good tech?

In a first, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided that a meat product grown in a lab is safe to eat. The lab-grown chicken, produced by the company Upside Foods, cannot be sold quite yet—first, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will need to inspect the company’s production facilities and product. But industry experts anticipate the USDA will approve the lab-grown meat in the coming months.  The FDA’s decision so far only applies to the chicken grown by Upside Foods, but the lab-grown meat industry already consists of over 150 companies on six continents with more than $2.6 billion in combined investments, so we can expect further deliberations on future cultured meat products.

The question is whether lab-grown meat is a meat substitute or just another kind of meat? This is all so new that many don’t know how to answer that question. In one sense it’s still meat because it’s not made from plants. On the other hand it didn’t require the killing an animal.

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Local news – new vegan deli

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Ben and Esther’s vegan Jewish Deli just opened on Capitol Hill. Oh yes, oh yes! Finally a vegan Reuben sandwich (vegan corned beef, Swiss, sauerkraut, Russian dressing ) on pumpernickel bread with real Kosher dill pickles. Try the bagel with vegan lox (smoked “salmon”), tomato, red onion, capers and dill with a schmear (a spread) of vegan cream cheese.

Look for the potato knishes (a round or square of dough stuffed with potato and baked or fried) and noodle kugel (a baked pudding). You can enjoy your meal with a babka (a loaf-shaped coffee cake made with sweet yeast dough to which raisins, chocolate, or nuts may be added). With the cold weather, warm up with some motzo (unleavened bread) ball soup. If you only want a couple of bites, you can nosh (snack) on a wide variety of menu items.

We’re happy to welcome a new vegan restaurant  to our area. The Seattle Ben and Esther’s is the fifth location in the Portland based “Vegan Jewish Deli” chain. There are two in Portland and one in Oceanside California and San Diego.

Ben and Esther’s hours are 7 AM to 3 PM daily.

907 East PIKE ST.  Seattle, WA 98122

OPEN 7-3 DAILY

Tofurky wins in court

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Good news – more lawsuits are rolling back unconstitutional labelling bans on using meat-based terms. Last month, a federal court ruled that an Arkansas law that had banned makers of meat alternatives such as Tofurky from using commonly understood words to describe their products was unconstitutional. The law prohibited the labeling of any food product as ‘meat’ unless that food product was derived from livestock, and it banned such terms as ‘veggie sausage’ and ‘veggie burger’ from food labeling in Arkansas.

The Arkansas law, U.S. District Court Judge Kristine Baker explained in her ruling, unconstitutionally barred Tofurky from “convey[ing] meaningful, helpful information to consumers about the products they are purchasing, and Tofurky’s repeated indications that the food products contained in these packages contain no animal-based meat dispel consumer confusion.”  In other words, no one is confused about whether Tofurky is turkey!

We’ve seen the same kind of thing in other states and other products but the meat, dairy and egg alternatives seem to be prevailing.  Last year, a lawsuit filed by Upton’s Naturals forced Mississippi’s agriculture department, which had issued similar rules, to backtrack and amend the rules.

Is the meat industry getting nervous? They should be. The sales of meat and dairy substitutes have been soaring, hence the clamor to adopt rules against using some words to describe meat alternatives. Supporters of such laws typically claim they want to help consumers avoid confusion. However, research and commonsense suggest consumers aren’t confused by terms such as “veggie burger” or the like. Worse, linguistic bans generally prohibit accurate and honest labeling even if—as the federal court in Arkansas found was the case with Tofurky’s labeling—”the product [in question] also states on the label that it’s 100% vegan, plant-based or meatless.”

Vegan eggs – you have options

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Eggs have often been considered one of the hardest animal products to replace, but increasingly there are some great alternatives available, both as commercial products and using basic ingredients.  There are plenty of recipes available online to help you use them.  Choosing what to use as an alternative depends on how you intend to use the egg – for a scramble, for an omelet, for pancakes, cookies, cakes or even meringue – it’s important to consider what you need the egg to do.

Commercial products currently available in the grocery store:

Just Egg – a liquid product that you can pour directly into the skillet to make yourself an omelet or scramble in just the same way as you would use fresh eggs.

Just Egg also make a Folded Plant Egg, which are pre-made patties that can be browned in the pan and served in sandwiches or on toast.

Follow Your Heart VeganEgg

This is a powdered egg replacement that comes in an egg carton-style package.  It is pre-seasoned, so there’s no need to add any salt.  Just add water and pour to make a great omelet.

Vegg Vegan Egg Yolk

Add water and oil then whisk together and let it stand for 3 minutes. This will give you a product very similar to the yolk of the egg.  It can be used in a scramble, on top of toast, or used in baking recipes.

Classic egg substitutions using basic ingredients

Mashed tofu

Recipes abound for the classic egg replacement of a tofu scramble. A tofu scramble can be made with cubed fried tofu, or by mashing a package of tofu, adding spices and vegetables.  Tofu Scramble Recipe

Silken tofu is also a great substitute for other dairy products, especially in desserts such as cheesecake. Baked Tofu Cheesecake recipe

Flaxseed or Chia seeds

For example, a standard substitute in recipes is a tablespoon of ground flaxseed, mixed into 3 tablespoons of water.  As the water absorbs into the ground flaxseed, the consistency becomes very similar to an egg, and this can be a great binding agent, in cookies for example.  Chia seeds also work in the same way, and give a gel like consistency when soaked. Added to your favorite baking recipes, this can work very well as a substitute for one egg, although it’s a good idea to find a recipe if you need more than one egg, since eggs also provide structure and lift when whipped and cooked.

Applesauce

Applesauce can help with replacing both eggs and oil, which is great if you’re trying to cut down on calories. For 1 egg, use ¼ cup of applesauce.  The pectin in the apples helps to bind ingredients together.  It does have a lot of moisture, so this works well for recipes that need a long baking time.

Mashed banana

Another ingredient which has a similar texture to egg is mashed banana.  This works great in pancakes or banana bread.   It is a great binder, but has a strong banana flavor. Pancake recipe

Pumpkin puree

Use ¼ cup of pumpkin puree for one egg in breads where the pumpkin will add moisture, sweetness and a rich color to your baking.

Baking soda and apple cider vinegar

When you need lift in your baked goods, the combination of baking soda and apple cider vinegar produces bubbles that give a light and fluffy texture.  It may take some experimenting, but try ¼ tsp baking soda for every 1 Tbsp vinegar as a substitute for an egg.

Aquafaba (Chickpea liquid)

When you drain a can of garbanzo beans, or cook your own from dried chickpeas, save the liquid.  It is similar to using whipped egg whites, so can be used for making a vegan meringue.

The best bet when using any of these substitutes in baking is to let someone else do the experimenting for you, and follow a recipe!

Nutritious quinoa recipes

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Quinoa

Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah) is an ancient grain, native to the Andes mountains.  It was the food that fueled the Inca civilization.  Today it is known as the grain with the best amino acid profile for humans to eat.  In other words, it is high in protein, as well as iron and B vitamins.  The grains hold their shape well in cooking, have a sweet taste and are easy to digest.  They look just like couscous.

To prepare quinoa, it should first be rinsed well by holding it in a sieve under a running faucet, as it has a somewhat soapy residue which is best removed.  It is cooked just like rice, with about 1.5 times the amount of water to grain. After about 8 minutes, check to see if the grains are translucent and little white curls have appeared.  This indicates when it is cooked.  Drain if necessary.

Quinoa can be used in place of rice as a base for many different meals. It can be added to soups and stews, or be the foundation of a salad or grain based dish.

Recipes:

Quinoa Paella

Quinoa Millet Salad

Quinoa Vegetable Soup

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