This sopa de frijoles negro recipe is South American comfort food at its finest
Black beans are god-tier pulses, and that isn’t up for debate – they’re delicious whole, mashed or pureed, and on top of that, they’re healthy AF. The beans are native to Central and South America, so naturally feature in much of that part of the world’s cuisine – like this sopa de frijoles negro.
These little beans of joy are full of protein, which aids muscle recovery, keeps your bones healthy and helps you feel fuller for longer. They’re also packed with fibre, which helps regulate blood sugar and is good for gut health. Antioxidant-rich tomatoes increase the nutritional value of this dish, providing lots of vitamin C to keep any sniffles at bay.
Batch cook this bad boy so you have a comforting hug in a bowl waiting for you when you get home from work or the gym.
Ingredients
Serves: 4-6
440g (15½oz or 2 cups) dried black beans or 2 x 425g tins black beans, drained
2 fresh bay leaves
60ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, diced (seeds removed for a milder taste)
1 green capsicum (bell pepper), finely diced
2–3 garlic cloves, crushed
½ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon sweet paprika
½ tablespoon ground coriander
½ tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cinnamon stick
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 litre (34 fl oz/4 cups) vegan ‘chicken’ stock
125g (4½ oz/½ cup) sofrito or tinned diced tomatoes
Large handful coriander, roughly chopped, plus extra, to serve
Juice of 1 lime
Your favourite hot sauce, to taste
Avocado cream, to serve or ½ avocado, roughly chopped
Pickled cabbage, to serve
Tortilla chips, to serve
Method
1. If using dried beans, place them in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Add 1 bay leaf and bring the beans to the boil (do NOT add salt at this point). Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for approximately 1 hour until slightly underdone (they should still have some bite to them). Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the onion, jalapeño, capsicum, garlic and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add the spices, oregano and remaining bay leaf and cook for a further 1 minute.
3. Add the drained cooked or tinned beans to the pan, then pour over the ‘chicken’ stock and sofrito or tomatoes. Bring to a low simmer and cook until the beans are very soft, approximately 30 minutes.
4. Transfer half of the soup to a blender and purée until smooth. Pour back into the pan and stir well. For a thinner soup, only blend one-third of the beans, and to use as a burrito or taco filling, blend three-quarters of the beans.
5. Return to the heat, then add the coriander, lime and hot sauce and cook for a further 5 minutes. Check the seasoning and adjust, if necessary.
6. Top the soup with the avocado cream or chopped avocado, pickled cabbage and a sprinkling of chopped coriander. Serve with tortilla chips on the side.
From plant-based leather to cruelty-free lifestyle products, vegan brands are now offering eco-friendly alternatives
Leather has long been a symbol of style and luxury on the global fashion scene. From high-end leather bags and trendy boots to evergreen biker jackets, this versatile and durable material has remained a constant in the world of fashion. But the vogue comes at an immense cost.
“In India, animals used for leather are crowded onto vehicles in such high numbers that their bones break and they die en route, including from suffocation,” says Monica Chopra, manager of fashion, media and celebrity projects, PETA India. “Animals who survive this ordeal are then unloaded at slaughterhouses, where they are cut open with dirty, dull knives in full view of other animals on floors covered with faeces, blood, guts and urine. Many are skinned and dismembered while they are still conscious,” she elucidates. The ordeal brought about by the leather industry does not end here. “Indian tannery workers often suffer from fever, eye inflammation, skin diseases and cancer due to the toxic chemicals and workplace hazards they are made to endure,” Chopra adds. It also contributes immensely to global warming.
India, too, is a major contributor as it handles 13% of the world’s leather production. However, with rising environmental consciousness, a change is emerging slowly but surely. It is evident from the many homegrown brands selling vegan accessories that have hit the market in recent years.
“When we started, we saw a video of how animal-based leather is made. It was horrific. So, we decided to not put our names to it. That inspired us to launch vegan and cruelty-free lifestyle products,” says Disha Singh, founder and CEO of Zouk, a PETA-approved vegan brand. The journey has not been a smooth one. When we started, vegan products were a foreign concept. In one of our early Instagram posts, when we said vegan bags, I remember someone joking about it. We did a lot to educate them to make more responsible choices. Today, many of our customers happily share that their Zouk products are cruelty-free, which makes us happy,” the founder shares.
Tiger Marron, which has a sizeable leather accessories portfolio, too, has launched vegan products. “We are witnessing a rise in customers’ demand for vegan accessories, particularly over the past two years. Whether it is from a lifestyle choice that has been adopted or through an interest in the material, there has certainly been a rise in this demand,” says founder Saahil Tiger Nandrajog.
Tiger Marron’s laptop bags, laptop sleeves, and tote bags continue to garner the highest demand, the founder shares.
Speaking on the material used, Tiger says for its vegan products, it uses “our recipe of vegan leather, which uses upcycled materials consisting of a blend of cotton and poly. It is worth noting that upcycled materials are often materials headed for landfills that are intercepted and put together to create our vegan leather.”
Is vegan always sustainable?
“What’s the use of a nice bag… if there isn’t a planet to flaunt it on?” asks Studio Beej, a sustainable accessories brand, on its website. There is a blurred yet distinct line between a vegan and a sustainable product.
“You first need to decide what you are looking for, a vegan product, a sustainable one, or both,” highlights founder Arundhati Kumar. “Most sustainable alternatives are vegan, by default, but it is not the same the other way around. For example, 90% of vegan leather products today are synthetic alternatives that are essentially plastic. While it is vegan by definition, definitely not sustainable. They cannot be recycled and once they reach their end of life, they start flaking and shedding micro-plastics into the environment,” she highlights.
Mirium, Cork, Pinatex and Desserto are some of the leather alternatives that Studio Beej uses for its products.
FOReT, another sustainable accessories brand, too, uses similar materials for its products. “We prioritise materials that align with our vision and continually evaluate and research new options,” says founder Supriya Shirsat Satam. Currently, the brand focuses on cork and banana bark as its primary materials. Elaborating upon the two, she explains, “Cork is an up-cycled material made from the bark of cork oak trees and is sustainable, hypo-allergenic, and lightweight. Banana bark, on the other hand, is derived from the waste of banana plants.”
“Our women’s and men’s jewellery is handmade in our studio from cork bark. Our bags, wallets and other accessories are also made from cork and banana bark. Our banana bark bags are handcrafted by rural women artisans in India and finished in our studio. We have created these bags keeping durability in mind, with the option to repurpose them as planters once their original use has ended,” she adds.
Satam, too, highlights the difference between a vegan and a sustainable product as “plastic material can also be considered vegan. Many of the vegan accessories available today are made using PU leather.”
“For shoppers who are conscious of the impact of their purchases on the environment, one of the most important factors to consider is the materials used. It is crucial to determine if the material is synthetic or fossil-fuel-based, as this significantly impacts sustainability. Therefore, while vegan products may be animal-free, it is essential to check if they are also made using sustainable production processes and materials to ensure they are environmentally friendly,” she explains.
Stand with cork bags and hats in Portugal
Paying a higher price
Although interest in leather alternatives seems to be rising, it is yet to become mainstream. “The ultimate test would be whether consumers are willing to absorb the higher cost of such products by paying a bit more,” says Zouk’s founder.
Seconding that, Kumar says, “In most cases, creating something more mindfully across the manufacturing chain costs brands 3-4x more than the regular products, so costs are higher. A part of the problem is that consumers expect to get a better product that ticks all boxes at the prices they are used to—that is going to be hard. As consumers, we need to rewire the way we shop—shop less, shop better, and use it longer.”
Not just newer brands but top designers and designer labels, too, have delved into the eco-conscious space. Recently, designer Anita Dongre launched a line of vegan accessories. Here, the products were made of Mirium, which is plastic-free.
According to a report by India-based consulting organisation Coherent Market Insights, the global vegan market is set to rise to $835.7 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 7.1% during the period from 2022 to 2030. Demand is set to rise for vegan products, as the forecast shows.
PETA, too, certifies brands that sell vegan products. Some such brands in India include Zouk, FOReT, Studio Beej and Moon Rabbit Lifestyle, among others.
Although the vegan market is expected to expand, there is still a question over sustainability. Earlier this month, Kumar announced she would be shutting Studio Beej.
“The business of sustainability is not very sustainable in India just yet,” she wrote on LinkedIn. “Last week, I decided to shut down Beej after bootstrapping it for three years and building India’s finest plant-based accessories brand. I started it on a gut feel and cheekily gave myself the moniker ‘foolishly brave’,” she wrote. Speaking of the response to her announcement, in another post, she said, “Almost every founder in the plant-based space has reached out to me to say how much they looked up to the brand and this was heart breaking news because it seems so personal.”
Speaking with FE, she says “price” was a prominent reason behind it, as consumers can opt for vegan counterparts, which are cheaper, compared to the sustainable ones.
According to a McKinsey survey conducted in the United Kingdom, which looked at the customers’ sentiments on sustainability in clothing, accessories and footwear, while young and urban shoppers “actively” look for sustainable options, most customers remain neutral on the idea.
Not just that, many find it challenging to understand what constitutes sustainable. However, this could change once millennial and GenZ shoppers reach an age and income level when they can put their ecological-consciousness into their wardrobes, the McKinsey report states.
From Babybel’s new white cheddar dairy-free cheeses to Slutty Vegan’s first Texas location, we’re serving up the best in vegan food news of the week
t seems that every week in the world of vegan food news is more exciting than the last and this week is no exception. Iconic French cheese company Bel Group is keeping the good times rolling this week with the launch of a brand new vegan flavour of its Plant-Based Babybel cheeses. Pinky Cole is bringing Slutty Vegan to Texas and if you’re anywhere near Dallas, you might as well line up now. Oatly is hitting the skies with Swiss Airlines and Beyond Meat’s chicken line is flying the coop to the UK. Read on for more.
1Slutty Vegan hits Texas
Everything is bigger in Texas, making the arrival of one of the country’s biggest food sensations a welcome addition to the food scene. This summer, the Dallas neighborhood of Deep Ellum is getting its own location of Atlanta’s popular chain Slutty Vegan.
Madelynne Boykin
Texans can expect all of Slutty Vegan’s saucy favourites on the menu at the 2,500-square-foot shop, including the One Night Stand, Hussy Fussy, and Hollywood Hooker.
“Dallas has been asking, and we’re so excited to deliver,” Slutty Vegan founder Pinky Cole said in a statement. “We’re bringing the heat just in time for summer.”
Slutty Vegan raised $25 million last year to expand its celeb-loved vegan venture and Cole is not skipping a beat to bring plant-based burgers to people everywhere. The Dallas location will be the fourth Slutty Vegan opening this year following outposts in Atlanta’s Truist Park, Harlem, NY, and on-campus at Georgia Tech.
If the grand opening of this location is anything like the rest, you should probably just form a line now.
2Oatly’s flying high with Swiss Air
These days, it seems like everyone is drinking oat milk on the ground but Swedish brand Oatly is bringing the trend to the skies with its newest partnership with Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS). This week, Oatly’s canned Caffè Lattes became available for purchase aboard all SWISS flights.
Oatly
“Today’s collaboration with SWISS is a major milestone for Oatly and our mission to put our products everywhere to make people’s switch to plant-based as easy as possible—even at 10,000 meters in the air,” Helge Weitz, Oatly’s General Manager, DACH and Poland, said in a statement.
“We’re excited to work with SWISS to offer their millions of annual passengers around the world a great-tasting and climate conscious coffee drink option,” Weitz said.
Oatly’s collaboration with SWISS marks the first time the vegan brand has worked with a global airline.
“We are delighted to be collaborating with Oatly to expand our beverage range,” Mathias Vonlanthen, Head of Hospitality Management at SWISS, said in a statement. “SWISS values a high-quality and diverse offering—this includes plant-based products and Oatly’s coffee drink is a great addition in this area.”
3So Delicious gets into oat milk
If you need another oat milk brand to love, So Delicious is getting into the mix with the launch of Organic Oatmilk in Original and Extra Creamy flavours.
So Delicious
Oat milk sales grew by 50 percent in 2022 compared to the year prior and the Danone-owned brand is jumping in to get its piece of the oat milk pie. “As leaders in the dairy-free space, we at So Delicious are always listening to consumers and striving to deliver what they are looking for,” Olivia Sanchez, Vice President of Marketing, Plant Based Beverages for Danone North America, said in a statement.
“Oatmilk is a favourite for both dairy-free veterans and people new to plant-based beverages, and we know that the interest in oat milk isn’t going anywhere anytime soon,” Sanchez said. “With Organic Oatmilk, our first oatmilk beverage innovation, we are proud to offer fans a new great-tasting organic option to enjoy in their daily routines.”
And if you’d prefer to eat your oats in frozen form, So Delicious also has a line of oat milk-based ice cream in Chocolate Salted Caramel, S’Mores, Coffee Chip, and Chocolate Hazelnut Brownie flavors.
4Beyond Meat’s chicken flies the coop
California company Beyond Meat is spreading its wings with the launch of its plant-based chicken line in the United Kingdom.
Best known for its Beyond Burger, the company launched Beyond Chicken Tenders in 2021 in the United States and expanded the line—made with a base of fava beans—with Beyond Popcorn Chicken and Beyond Chicken Nuggets in 2022.
Beyond Meat
Now, Beyond’s British fans are finally getting a taste with the launch of the Beyond Chicken line (filets, nuggets, and chicken-style burgers) at Waitrose stores.
“Following the success of Beyond Meat’s burgers and meatballs we know our customers love the brand and think they will love this product too, as demand for plant-based chicken grows,” Catherine Shacklock, Waitrose Chilled Vegan & Vegetarian Buyer, said in a statement.
“Our customers are always looking for something new, and this product is a great example of how advanced the plant-based market has come in both flavour and texture in recent years,” she said.
Beyond Meat’s chicken line landed in the UK just in time for King Charles III’s coronation on May 6, in honour of which chef and influencer Sam Jones (of No Meat Disco) created the Beyond Coronation Chicu-King Sarnie recipe.
Beyond Meat’s chicken line will also hit Sainsbury’s stores in early May.
5Babybel’s new vegan cheese flavour
We’re still trying to digest the fact that 150-year-old French cheese company Bel Group is remaking vegan versions of our childhood favourites like Babybel and The Laughing Cow cheeses. And this week, Bel Group hit us with another surprise: a new plant-based Babybel cheese in its fan-favourite White Cheddar flavour.
Bel Group
Launching this spring, the new flavour comes a year after the original Plant-Based Babybel hit store shelves—where it is performing very well. “Babybel Plant-Based has seen an overwhelmingly positive response to-date among flexitarian and vegan shoppers,” Ridhi Barber, Senior Brand Manager at Babybel, said in a statement.
“We wanted to continue this momentum and introduce a second dairy-free Babybel snack option in the fan favourite White Cheddar variety,” Barber said.
Currently, Bel is working to make 50 percent of its cheese portfolio plant-based and has tapped biotechnology company Climax Foods to help it get there. The duo is working to reformulate its iconic portfolio of cheeses using Climax’ AI-powered technology which will result in next-gen versions of Babybel (probably next year) and others like The Laughing Cow and Boursin to follow.
The new plant-based Babybel cheese will be released next month
Vegan cheese fans will be delighted to know there’s a brand-new flavour of Babybel on the horizon.
The Babybel Plant-Based White Cheddar is said to have a taste and texture reminiscent of the dairy version. Like the original vegan Babybel, the wax that the circular snack is encased in is also green in colour. The dairy Babybels famously come in red packaging.
The Babybels are fortified with B12 and calcium. There are six in each pouch, and the pouches are made with 100 percent paper to reduce plastic use.
The new flavor will be available across the US from May. Stockists include Kroger, Hy-Vee, HEB, Albertsons Acme & East, Albertsons Portland, and Certco.
Babybel is embracing the ever-growing vegan market - Media Credit: Babybel/PBN
Babybel embraces veganism
The Bel Group, which owns Babybel, released its first vegan Babybel in 2022. The product proved popular with plant-based consumers, and is available to buy in a number of countries around the world.
The original dairy Babybel White Cheddar has become one of the company’s best-selling since it launched 10 years ago. Its creators hope that the plant-based version will prove just as popular.
“Babybel Plant-Based has seen an overwhelmingly positive response to-date among flexitarian and vegan shoppers,” said Ridhi Barber, Senior Brand Manager at Babybel, in a statement. “We wanted to continue this momentum and introduce a second dairy-free Babybel snack option in the fan favourite White Cheddar variety.”
The rise of vegan cheese
A few years ago, the idea of dairy-free cheese may have seemed ludicrous, but you can now buy it in supermarkets all over the globe.
In 2021, the vegan cheese market was valued at USD $2.43 billion. Experts predict that it will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.6 percent from 2022 to 2030.
The increasing popularity of veganism, as well as growing understanding of the cruelty and environmental concerns of the dairy industry, are cited as key drivers of its growth.
As well as Babybel, Cathedral City, Boursin, and Laughing Cow have all also released dairy-free versions of their cheeses, which have proved hugely popular with consumers.
Musician and chef Denai Moore’s delicious vegan recipes are inspired by her Jamaican roots
With warmer weather hopefully just around the corner, now’s the time to put your failsafe soup and stew recipes to one side and add some new salads to your repertoire ahead of summer picnic season.
The multi-talented Denai Moore is a musician and chef whose recipes are all about paying homage to her Jamaican roots, while adding a modern vegan spin to classic dishes.
In her first cookbook Plentiful, Moore firmly debunks the food myth that Jamaican cuisine must be spicy and meat-heavy. An array of mouth-watering plant-based recipes include speedy rice and peas arancini, comforting vegan ‘oxtail’ gravy and roasted garlic spring onion mash.
If you’re bored of making the same salads on heavy rotation (whether that’s a half-hearted caesar or a DIY caprese), Moore’s book is filled with quick, approachable options that will seriously elevate your lunch game, whether you’re working from home or dining al fresco in the park.
You’ll also find clever, appealing ways to use up the leftovers currently sitting in your fridge alongside fresh takes on staples, such as Moore’s ‘dream’ potato salad, which throws in raw mangetout and radishes for extra crunch and curry ackee mayo for a real kick.
Read on for three of Moore’s salad recipes that are sure to brighten up your summer…
Crispy rice salad with crunchy green vegetables and salted cashews
Moore says: “This salad has a lot of character. It utilises leftover rice in the most wonderful way, creating a lively textural dynamic: spicy and crispy but with nourishing heart from the kale. I love a dish that uses leftovers – so often rice gets wasted, which is a shame. This application is a great way to whip up something new when you have a few friends over if you are lucky enough to have leftover rice.”
Serves 4
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 6 minutes
Ingredients
3 tablespoons coconut oil
150g cold cooked rice
4 stalks cavolo nero, torn
2 spring onions, finely chopped
350g asparagus, finely sliced on the diagonal
60g roasted and salted cashews
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the dressing
glug of olive oil
2 tablespoons coconut vinegar (or rice vinegar)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon agave syrup
juice of 1 lime
Method
Start by crisping up the rice. Melt the coconut oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, then add the rice to the pan. Spread it out evenly, pressing it into the oil. Allow to cook undisturbed for 6 minutes, checking the bottom so that it doesn’t burn.
Remove from the heat and cover with a lid. Leave to sit for 5 minutes (this will help with removing the rice).
Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a large bowl, then add the cavolo nero. Massage with your hands to soften it a little and then add the spring onions and asparagus.
Crumble the rice into the bowl and toss to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Finally, add the cashews and serve.
My dream potato salad
Moore says: “Potato salad can be a very sensitive topic. However, this is my book and therefore you can’t judge me for what you’re about to read. I call this my dream potato salad because it involves lots of spring onions, as well as raw mangetout and radishes for crunch. I opt for new potatoes because for me, potato salad season is a peak spring and summer dish, which happens to be new potato season. This is far from a traditional potato salad, so potato sal traditionalists, look away now!
“The question is, should a potato salad be mayo or oil based? The real answer is ackee curry mayo. Ackee’s wonderful smooth and silky texture really lends itself to creamy dressings like this. The curry flavour is perfect as potatoes can really take a lot of flavour. This would be a great salad for a barbecue – please stand your corner on my behalf if anyone challenges you about your potato salad choices.”
Serves 4–6
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes
Ingredients
750g new potatoes, halved if large
200g mangetout or sugar snap peas, sliced
200g radishes, finely sliced
1 small shallot, finely sliced
1 spring onion, finely sliced
For the ackee curry mayo
200g rinsed and drained ackee
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon Jamaican curry powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Put the potatoes into large saucepan, cover with cold water and add a good amount of salt. This is important as the potato is the star here and needs to be seasoned all the way through. Bring to the boil, then cook until just fork tender – about 15–20 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes.
Once cooked, drain and then scatter across a flat baking sheet to dry out and cool to room temperature.
In a high-speed blender, blend together all the ingredients for the ackee curry mayo until completely smooth.
Combine all the vegetables in a large bowl, add the curry mayo and stir to completely coat. Cover with cling film and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Sticky orange roasted green bean and mangetout salad
Serves 4
Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes
Ingredients
200g fine green beans, topped and tailed
100g mangetout
60g blanched hazelnuts
250g cooked green lentils
1 small shallot, finely sliced diced
handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves,
roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
small handful of mint leaves, torn
For the orange dressing
juice and zest of 1 orange
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C (400°F/gas 6).
In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing.
In a large bowl, toss the green beans and mangetout with half the dressing, then spread the vegetables out evenly on a wide baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, adding the hazelnuts after 10 minutes.
Once roasted, transfer the vegetables back into the bowl and add the lentils, shallot, parsley and mint. Add the remaining dressing and toss to combine. Sprinkle with a little more parsley before serving.
Madelynne Boykin
Oatly
So Delicious
Beyond Meat
Bel Group