Face Plant will serve up vegan cheeseburgers and nuggets
A vegan fast-food drive-thru is set to open this month at the site that was once a McDonald’s in Portland, Oregon. Face Plant will be a fully vegan drive-thru serving up classic fast food fare such as cheeseburgers, milkshakes, fries, and nuggets.
Entrepreneur Matt Plitch decided to open the drive-thru after he went vegan and struggled to find convenient, cheap food from a company whose values aligned with his own. According to Eater, he recruited cookbook author and food writer Molly Baz to devise the menu. Baz, who is not vegan, spent three years coming up with menu items, using Impossible Foods as the base of the burgers and nuggets.
Face Plant's menu has been years in the making - Media Credit: Adobe Stock
Plitch is aiming to entice people who would eat from a McDonald’s drive-thru, who want affordable and quick meals, Eater reports. Face Plant will avoid the automation of customer service that is becoming more common in fast food restaurants. It will follow the model of In-N-Out burger, where staff will walk to customer’s cars to take their orders if there is a queue.
‘Take down McDonald’s’
“The mission of the company is to take down McDonalds, using 100% plant-based ingredients,” Plitch told Bridgetown Bites. “We can build a better fast food brand and experience than the others. But if the burger doesn’t taste better than the others, and at an affordable price point, it doesn’t matter. Ambitions don’t matter. It means nothing if we can’t give the McDonald’s eater reasons to come here.”
Adobe StockVegan fast food is booming
Plitch thinks Baz not being vegan is the reason Face Plant will be able to compete with the big fast food chains. He says that Baz can judge whether Face Plant’s food will be tasty enough to lure meat-eaters.
Out of lunch ideas when working from home? Here are 10 simple and quick recipes to try
Working remotely has many perks, including the chance to prepare fresh meals during your break. But even with this flexibility, lunch ideally needs to be quick and simple so you have time to enjoy your food and recharge. That’s why these lunches are ideal for anyone seeking healthy meals that fit into a busy day. Dishes like sandwiches, salads, and bowls are all easy options that come together quickly.
The key to these lunches is simplicity. Many of the recipes in the following list are ready in under 30 minutes. This means less time in the kitchen and more time to relax before heading back to work. These meals don’t require fancy equipment or hard-to-find ingredients, making them perfect for even the busiest work-from-home schedules.
If you’re looking for tasty, plant-based meals that don’t sacrifice convenience, these options are a must-try. Here are 10 vegan lunches to make when working from home that are simple, quick, and filling.
Creamy 10-minute vegan chickpea bowl
Romy LondonThis chickpea bowl is the ultimate speedy lunch
To start off, you should make this 10-minute chickpea bowl by Romy London. It is an effortless recipe that uses simple ingredients like spinach and tomatoes with chickpeas and vegan cream cheese. Pesto, lemon, and garlic season the dish, and olive oil adds extra depth. Eat this one-person serving with some bread or as is.
Miso lemon broccoli with whipped spring onion tofu
Jo SideyTender stem broccoli has a milder flavour and different texture to regular broccoli
For a high-protein lunch, try this miso lemon broccoli with whipped spring onion tofu by Elly Smart. The dish has two components: the tender stem broccoli and the whipped spring onion tofu. You will bake the tender stem broccoli after seasoning each floret with miso, maple, nutritional yeast, chili, and garlic dressing. Then you’ll make your whipped tofu by taking silken tofu and adding lemon, nutritional yeast, spring onion, and garlic powder and blending it.
Samantha Jones PhotographyThis pasta uses plant-based tuna
This creamy tuna and leek pasta by Rose Wyles is also great for a work-from-home lunch. The recipe gives you a change of pace with the plant-based tuna while keeping the dish very simple and high in protein. Make the sauce with garlic, extra virgin olive oil, leeks, vegan dry white wine, plant-based cream, and parsley. Add a rocket salad to serve if you feel like it.
Haarala HamiltonYou can use freekeh instead of quinoa in this recipe
This high-protein tofu and quinoa bowl features pesto as the star. This recipe, from Calum Harris, is fresh, filling, and flavourful. This green and red bowl is simple to put together. Most of the work goes into making the tofu and baking it coated in pesto. After you blitz your homemade pesto (or use your favourite store-bought option) and cook your tofu, you simply assemble your bowl.
Natlicious FoodThis sandwich is easy to make and packed with protein
A fiery tofu sandwich with cooling cucumber, arugula, and spring onions makes for a great at-home lunch. This recipe from Natlicious Food is just what you need if you like spicy tofu sandwiches. You simply coat and fry your tofu, add your spicy and sweet glaze, prepare your yogurt mayo sauce, and add all your ingredients to your favourite bread.
Kim-Julie HansenThis salad takes under 30 minutes to make
Who doesn’t love a vegan Caesar salad? Kim-Julie Hansen’s version uses high-protein chickpeas instead of chicken. First, you’ll make the chickpeas and homemade croutons crispy in the oven. Then, you’ll just make the salad — it’s that easy. You’ll also make a cheesy and tangy vegan dressing that pairs well with the salad base.
Jo SideyThe chili oil, charred veggies, and soy sauce make this instant ramen extra flavourful
Instant ramen is a go-to lunch for many people. Since you’re at home, why not make this pimped version from Saskia Sidey? With extra seasonings and charred veggies, this ramen becomes more of a meal than a snack. Follow the packet instructions, add soy and chili oil, and cook your veg on a frying pan. Use two single-portion packets if you’re extra hungry or sharing with someone. Serve by sprinkling over some spring onions, chili, and coriander.
Catherine PerezThis chickpea filling is great for meal prep
Catherine Perez’s peanut miso chickpea salad sandwich is speedy and tasty. With a filling that’s easy to use as meal prep and a simple recipe, you’ll make this a go-to for lunch. The smashed chickpea filling uses sriracha, white miso, scallions, peanut butter, and extra seasonings to make it spicy. On the sandwich, you can add romaine lettuce, red cabbage, tomato, cucumbers, sprouts, or anything you like. Mayo and mustard are also great additions.
Haarala HamiltonThis speedy vegan dhal is packed full of protein
Aside from sandwiches and bowls, maybe you want a warming 30-minute dhal. This recipe from Calum Harris is effortless, affordable, and quick to make. You can cook this dhal in one pot with Puy lentils, coconut milk, and tomato. The curry is flavoured with garam masala, garlic, chili powder, and miso paste. Top the buttery black dhal with herbs and lime and serve with brown rice or poppadom.
Jo SideyThese high protein pitta pockets are ideal for a quick lunch
The last recipe on this list is Elly Smart’s Caesar chickpea pitta pockets. Pita bread is naturally vegan, but always check the labels in case animal products such as eggs, honey, or dairy are added. This tasty pitta pocket takes just 17 minutes to make in total. It’s portable and easy to eat with your hands. The ingredients include baked chickpeas, a simple dressing, gem lettuce, tomato, and a Caesar-style vegan dressing.
