From thestar.com
Toronto chefs Roger Yang and Matthew Ravenscroft share their expert tips for how to ease into a vegan diet
Tis the season for resolutions, but rather than setting intimidating annual goals, a growing group of Canadians are opting for more attainable month-long challenges. Alcohol-free “Dry January” has become a mainstay of the post-holiday feasting season, and now, Veganuary — eating a vegan diet free of meat, eggs and dairy for the first month of the year — is gaining traction.
The movement began in the U.K. in 2014 when co-founders Jane Land and Matthew Glover created the 31-day pledge to raise awareness about the environmental impact of our food choices. In 2022, there were more than 629,000 participants in 228 countries, and the number is poised to grow this year.
The interest in Veganuary aligns with the rise of veganism itself. According to Statista, as of 2020, nearly 2.3 million Canadians now identify as vegetarians, with 37 per cent of that group identifying as vegan.
Roger Yang, the Toronto restaurateur behind Osteria Du, Pizzeria Du and Avelo, was ahead of the curve: he went vegan in 1997. "It was more difficult then because no one knew what vegan was, and there weren't a lot of vegan options at restaurants unless you wanted to eat plain iceberg lettuce with a bit of regret," says Yang, with a laugh. "Today, many restaurants in Toronto design their menu to have at least a few dishes that cover this category, which makes it easier to dine out."
Shopping for vegan products has also become easier for home cooks. Most large grocery stores now have a dedicated plant-based section and many grocery items have vegan or plant-based labels, including convenience foods, like Toronto-based Wholly Veggie, which specializes in plant-based pizzas, patties, meatless wings and ready-to-heat meals.
What’s the trick to sticking to your Veganuary pledge? Support from family and friends helps, says Yang. If everyone in your household is eating a plant-based diet, it’s considerably easier to both avoid temptations and have fun experimenting with new recipes together.
“Start with food that you’re familiar with and see if you can try it in a vegan way,” suggests Yang. “There’s a lot of debate about how healthy faux meat burgers are, but it’s not designed to be a health food and it will help you get through the whole month.”
Matthew Ravenscroft, the chef and culinary director at Gia, has a different approach. Rather than trying to replace the meat that would usually be on your plate, he lets the vegetables shine. “When I plan my meals, I try to get as much biodiversity and variety as possible and eat the rainbow and get the nutrients I need,” says Ravenscroft, who sources his produce from Fiesta Farms.
Ravenscroft often cooks vegetables, like mushrooms, like a steak — adding high heat, heavy salt and grilling it in a cast iron pan. “The hardest part of switching to an all-plant-based diet can be [adapting to the] texture, since cooked vegetables are often all soft," explains Ravenscroft. Since cook times vary by vegetable, Ravenscroft recommends looking up cook times for each carrot, zucchini and eggplant. Even though you can eat most produce raw, there will always be an optimal way to roast, boil or steam each vegetable. “You can overcook a steak or prime rib, but you really can't overcook a vegetable, unless you burn it. There’s more room for error with plant-based cooking where when you cook it wrong, you can always transform it into something else.”
For an easy but elevated winter dinner, Ravenscroft suggests drizzling tomato-based Romesco sauce over squash and beans: "Don’t be afraid to introduce nuts or seeds or lean on sauces to add a complex flavour.”
Haruna Makino, the chef and owner of Tsuchi Café, recommends making a tofu scramble for breakfast or brunch. “It’s a very easy-to-make source of protein, but I usually add red peppers, mushrooms and a bit of miso for umami or sprinkling Violife Parmesan style cheese for more flavour.”
While the health benefits of eating vegan vary individually, the ideal is that movements like Veganuary can spark conversation about the treatment of animals in society and even the connection between eating meat and climate change. As meat prices continue to rise, going vegan can also significantly reduce your weekly grocery bill.
“Small changes can have a big impact on the world," says Ravenscroft. “Being plant-based is my contribution to creating a healthier environment and future of our world."
Veg out
If you’re thinking of trying Veganuary, keep these tips — from the “Vegan Nutrition Guide” by Virginia Messina — in mind.
● For a plant-based intake of protein, add legumes such as beans, peas, soy-based foods or peanuts to every meal.
● Vegan foods often don’t contain preformed Vitamin A, but foods with the antioxidant beta-carotene — including winter squash, sweet potatoes and carrots — converts in the body into the Vitamin A molecule.
● Vegans often need twice as much iron, which can be consumed through beans, leafy green vegetables, dried beans, peas and lentils and dark green vegetables like collards, okra and bok choy.
● Since the only reliable sources of Vitamin B12 is found in animal products, those following a vegan diet should take a daily supplement.
No comments:
Post a Comment