How to Stay Healthy on a Vegan Diet

From sweetyhigh.com

Whether you've recently gone plant-based (and are already sick of having to deal with the classic "but where do you get your protein?" question) or gave up animal products years ago and just want to start focusing more on your overall health, figuring out how to stay healthy on a vegan diet is important—and the sooner you can figure it out, the better.

Thankfully, we've put together some insider tips on how to do just that in a way that feels easy and natural. Granted, we're no professionals, but we do have some science-backed advice that you'll hopefully find helpful.

Eat the Rainbow

No, we aren't talking about a bag of your favourite rainbow-coloured candy. Eating a "colourful" diet should be about incorporating a diverse range of (preferably whole) foods, mainly fruits and vegetables. What gives these foods their vibrant hues is often also what makes them so good for you, as they're known for being packed with vitamins and minerals that are essential to your health.

If getting in your fruits and veg is something you've struggled with before, try to start small by sneaking in some spinach to your stir fry or even your smoothie, throwing in some cauliflower rice with your regular rice or just chopping your veggies so small you'll barely notice they're there.

(via Shutterstock)

Focus on Nutrient Dense Over Low Calorie

A lot of people go vegan for great reasons (like the reduced impact on the climate and ethical reasons), but some also do it as a way to lose weight. However, eating a balanced diet on a vegan diet can be more difficult, especially if you're focused on restricting your calorie intake rather than on getting the right nutrients your body needs. That's where "nutrient-dense" foods and meals come into play, as they pack a punch of health benefits and keep you more satisfied for longer.

Prepare to Pack in Protein

While we hate to admit this, sometimes the sceptics are right when it comes to criticizing how vegans get the right amount of protein. However, that doesn't mean it's impossible (or even necessarily difficult) to get your protein intake covered on a plant-based diet—it just takes a bit of extra planning. Some super simple sources include protein powders (like these tasty ones from fitppl and Ora Organic) as well as vegan protein bars. If you want to get more creative, though, you can also add in protein-packed pasta substitutes (like Banza) and even swaps for your favourite snacks (like Hippeas).

(via Unsplash)

Know Which Other Nutrients You Might Need to Supplement

Other than just protein, vegans can often be low in a few key vitamins and minerals that those who consume animal products don't struggle with as often. Iron and vitamin B12 are common examples, as iron-dense foods like meat are off the table and B12 is hard to find in non-animal sources. You can always find a vitamin that works, but it's usually better to consume foods that are rich in these nutrients. Thankfully, you'll find that spinach is packed with iron (as well as many other plant-based foods) and that B12 is naturally in nutritional yeast (a popular vegan alternative to parmesan cheese).

Don't Just Skip to the Junk Foods

Just because you found out that Oreos are vegan (and so are a ton of Taco Bell options) doesn't mean that you should eat only those foods. Sure, you're always allowed to treat yourself and it's great to know that the options are there in a pinch, but try to follow all the other advice on this list if you want to actually focus on improving and maintaining your health.

Make Your Meals Taste Amazing

At the end of the day, you're probably not going to want to eat healthy if that healthy food doesn't taste good to you. So, do what you can to keep your meals healthy and well-balanced while also making sure they are as exciting to your appetite. From bowls of delicious pasta that's full of extra veggies to burrito bowls that rival your favourite fast food chain, you don't need to be consuming sad salads for every meal even when you're fully vegan.

(via Unsplash)

All in all, cruelty-free eating doesn't have to mean suffering through flavourless foods just to stay healthy. It's all about balance, and you'll feel way better than when you ate meat anyway. And when in doubt, you can always supplement your diet with some satiating plant-based snack ideas, which you can learn more about by clicking HERE.

https://www.sweetyhigh.com/read/how-to-stay-healthy-on-a-vegan-diet-073023 

Meera Sodha’s recipe for pasta salad with almonds, tomatoes and basil

From theguardian.com

Made with a Trapanese-style pesto, this simple dish is less British garden party and more sultry lunch under the Sicilian sun 

I'm thankful that pasta salad fell out of favour for a brief decade, because now, like a dog who lost its stick, forgot about it and then found it again, I’m utterly besotted. This time, however, I want to move the heart of the dish from a British garden party circa 1990 to a sultry, outdoor lunch under the heat of the Sicilian sun. So here are pasta shells cooked in sea salt, then tumbled with a fresh, Trapanese-style pesto made using tomatoes, almonds, basil and extra-virgin olive oil.

Pasta salad with almonds, tomatoes and basil

You’ll need a blender, Nutribullet or small food processor to make this.

Prep 5 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 4

Fine sea salt
350g ripe, sweet, cherry tomatoes, quartered
50g basil, leaves picked
150g blanched skinless almonds
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
75ml extra-virgin olive oil
400g conchiglie, or similar

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta (I add a teaspoon of salt per litre of water).

While the water is heating up, put 150g of the tomatoes, half the basil leaves and all the almonds, garlic, oil and three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt in a blender and blitz to a pesto-like consistency.

When the water has come to a boil, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, until al dente, then drain, rinse under the cold tap until cool to the touch, then drain again thoroughly.

Put the almond pesto and the cooked pasta in a large bowl and toss to coat really well. Add the rest of the quartered tomatoes, tear in the remaining basil leaves, and mix again. Serve with a big spoon for people to help themselves.

Utterly besotted: Meera Sodha’s recipe for pasta salad with almonds, tomatoes and basil. Photograph: Louise Hagger/The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/jul/29/vegan-recipe-pasta-salad-almonds-tomatoes-basil-meera-sodha

Vegan Food News of the Week: Smash Burgers, Runny Egg Yolks, and More

From vegnews.com

From Odd Burger’s new smash burgers to runny egg yolks on Veggie Grill’s menu, we’re serving up the best in vegan food news of the week

It seems that every week in the world of vegan food news is more exciting than the last and this week is no exception. Canada’s Odd Burger is making its most popular vegan meats available in stores, including chicken patties and smash burgers. Veggie Grill just partnered with YoEgg to give three menu items a runny yolk upgrade. And do you want to savour hot honey-drizzled pizzas but don’t want to hurt bees? There’s a spicy new product from sugar maker In The Raw just for that. Read on for more. 

1Hot honey but make it vegan

Drizzling hot honey on wings, pizza, and more is no longer off-limits to plant-based eaters thanks to In The Raw, a company known for its sweeteners. 

This week, the company unveiled Organic Hot Agave In The Raw which delivers a unique blend of sweet and spicy flavours. Made from 100 percent raw blue agave nectar from Jalisco, Mexico, and enhanced with the heat of jalapeños and chili, it’s perfect for adding a spicy kick to food or drinks. 

In the Raw

“We can’t wait to see the creative ways our consumers will experiment with Hot Agave, and are excited to continue expanding our product line to bring sweet solutions for people’s evolving lifestyles as we’ve done for the last 50 years,” Steven Eisenstadt, CEO of In the Raw parent company, Cumberland Packing Corp., said in a statement. 

Timed for summer and National Agave Day celebrations, this vegan, low-glycaemic syrup will be available in convenient 10-ounce bottles starting July 31 on the company’s website, online store, and Amazon.

2Oat milk-based vegan cheeses

Need a new melty cheese slice on your next vegan burger? South Korean food-tech company Armored Fresh has just the thing—and it’s made with the trendiest base: oat milk. 

Armored Fresh developed its new vegan cheese using fermented oat milk, which replicates the unique, sharp, salty, and nutty notes of dairy cheese without animal inputs.

Armored Fresh

“It’s our mission to prioritize consumers’ well-being by creating delicious products that everyone can enjoy, which is why expanding into oat milk to provide a dairy-free option to give consumers a wider variety to choose from was a clear next step,” Rudy Yoo, CEO and Founder of Armored Fresh, said in a statement. 

“We’ve worked extensively with our R&D team to create an option that rivals traditional dairy cheese and are excited to expand our foodservice partnerships with this new offering,” Yoo said. 

Since its 2022 launch, Armored Fresh—which also offers almond milk-based cheeses—has expanded rapidly, with a presence in over 100 New York retailers and Kroger, plus direct-to-consumer availability in 16 states.

3Odd Burger launches vegan meat line

Canadian vegan fast-food chain Odd Burger is eyeing an expansion of its shops across Asia and North America, including its first United States outposts planned for Washington state, where it plans to open 20 locations by 2031. 

Simultaneously, the company just launched a vegan meat line, produced by its consumer goods subsidiary Preposterous Foods, to give fans a way to enjoy Odd Burger favourites in the comfort of their home. 

Odd Burger

Odd Burger’s initial roll-out includes five unique plant-based proteins: Crispy ChickUn Fillet, Beefy Smash Burger, Allergen-Friendly Chickpea Burger, Breakfast Sausage, and ChickUn Pretenders. 

We are incredibly excited to launch our products for home use and make our food even more accessible,” James McInnes, CEO and co-founder of Odd Burger, said in a statement.

“We believe that the growth potential for our retail line is significant because customers already love our food and know our brand,” McInnes said.

Slated for a September 2023 release, these products will be initially available at Odd Burger restaurant locations and selected Canadian retailers.

4Whole-cut vegan mushroom meat hits Whole Foods

Colorado-based vegan meat company Meati Foods has impressed a number of celebrity chefs—including Rachael Ray and David Chang with its whole-cut vegan chicken and steak, which it makes using “MushroomRoot” (mycelium or the fast-growing root systems of mushroom). However, consumers have had a hard time getting a taste as the vegan MushroomRoot meats were only available at limited retailers.

Meati

That all changes this week as Meati just announced that its coveted vegan meats are now rolling out to Whole Foods Markets nationwide, where the chicken cutlets and steaks will be available for an MSRP of $8.99 and $10.99, respectively. 

“Since taking our first bites of Meati in Boulder last year, we’ve been excited to bring their differentiated, quality mushroom-root products to our shelves,” Kara Maloney, Grocery Category Merchant for Whole Foods Market, said in a statement. 

“We look forward to making it possible for shoppers across the country to access Meati for the first time and to bringing more delicious and nutritious options to our customers,” Maloney said.

If you’re looking for a taste of Meati but don’t feel like cooking it yourself, head over to your local Next Level Burger. The vegan fast-food chain is launching the Sizzling Summer Duo: The Carne Asada Burger and Carne Asada Fries, featuring Meati’s vegan steak. 

Next Level Burger

The vegan burger includes a smash patty, carne asada, pepper jack cheese, organic guacamole, pico de gallo, and chipotle mayo. The fries are topped with carne asada, vegan cheese sauce, sour cream, and pico de gallo. 

Limited-time offers include free Carne Asada Burgers for the first 50 customers (July 28 to 30), a BOGO offer for the first 50 customers (August 11 to 17), and a similar offer for all app users (August 18 to 24). 

5Runny vegan eggs at Veggie Grill

A runny yolk adds a certain unctuousness to just about anything and now, that “anything” includes vegan food. That’s because this week, vegan chain Veggie Grill teamed up with Yo Egg, pioneers of plant-based sunny-side-up and poached eggs.

YoEgg

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Yo Egg,” T.K. Pillan, Veggie Grill Founder and CEO, said in a statement. “Yo Egg’s sunny-side-up and poached eggs create uniquely compelling additions to our 100 percent plant-based menu and further our goal to bring guests the best of the plant-based world.”

At select New York and Los Angeles locations of Veggie Grill, the duo has crafted three innovative limited-time offerings featuring Yo Egg’s award-winning plant-based eggs.

The Yo Poached Egg Avo Toast is Veggie Grill’s vegan interpretation of the popular avocado toast trend. This delectable combination features toasted sourdough, avocado slices, diced tomatoes, and cucumbers, topped with a Yo Egg poached egg coated in everything bagel seasoning.

The Huevos Rancheros Bowl offers a fiery vegan twist on a traditional favourite, boasting a medley of brown rice, ranchero beans, fried corn tortillas, pepper jack cheese, a Yo Egg sunny-side-up egg, salsa roja, and salsa verde, finished with fresh chopped cilantro.

Completing the trio, the Yo Egg Kimchi Burger comprises a seasoned Beyond burger layered with sesame aioli, shredded lettuce, pickled cucumbers, and kimchi, all ensconced in a sesame seed bun and crowned with a sunny-side-up Yo Egg.

“This collaboration with Veggie Grill exemplifies our mission to reinvent eggs and how foodservice operators use eggs in their menus,” Eran Groner, CEO of Yo Egg, said in a statement. “We can’t wait for consumers to taste these innovative dishes.”

https://vegnews.com/2023/7/vegan-food-news-of-the-week-july-28

Meera Sodha’s vegan recipe for summer strawberry cake with luxury Bird’s custard

From theguardian.com

A big, flat, summery cake spread with strawberries and custard? It might well be the best cake ever … 

Considering the love we English have for strawberries, I am stumped trying to think of more than three puddings that contain them. This is my attempt to bolster the coffers: a strawberry “sheet cake” borrowed from one of my favourite food writers, Deb Perelman, and her blog, Smitten Kitchen. I made this vegan version for my daughter Yogi’s birthday, adding a little fennel sugar to the top, and she declared it the best cake ever (although she is three and admittedly has previously declared five other cakes also to be the best cake ever).

Summer strawberry cake with luxury Bird’s custard

The Bird’s custard element has been given a bit of the razzle-dazzle treatment with whipped cream and creme fraiche, and is much better for it; if you don’t want to make it, serve with good vegan vanilla ice-cream instead – Jude’s makes a great one.

Prep 10 min
Cook 50 min
Serves 8

For the cake
175ml whole oat milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
¾ tsp fennel seeds, ground
200g caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp extra for sprinkling on top
250g self-raising flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp fine sea salt
½ tsp vanilla bean paste
125ml rapeseed oil
600-700g ripe strawberries, halved

For the custard
1½ tbsp (17g) custard powder – I use Bird’s
1 tbsp (17g) caster sugar
250g vegan whipping cream – I use Oatly
75g vegan creme fraiche – again, I use Oatly

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Grease and line a 22cm x 32cm baking tray (ie, a standard American nine-inch x 13-inch baking sheet) with greaseproof paper.

Pour the oat milk and cider vinegar into a medium bowl and put to one side.

Make some spiced sugar to top the cake by mixing the ground fennel seeds and two tablespoons of caster sugar, then set aside.

Put the flour, bicarb, 200g caster sugar and salt in a large bowl, and whisk to combine.

Stir the vanilla paste and rapeseed oil into the oat-milk-and-vinegar mix, then pour into the flour mixture and mix well. Spoon on to the lined tin, shake the tin, then give it a couple of sharp taps on a work surface to settle the batter and release any air bubbles.

Place (rather than push) the strawberries on top of the batter, arranging them toe to toe and trying to fit on as many as you can. Sprinkle over the spiced sugar, then bake for 30 minutes, until the sponge is golden and a sharp knife inserted into the middle comes out clean (it’s OK if it has some strawberry juice on it).

While the cake is baking, make up the custard. Mix the custard powder, sugar and two tablespoons of the cream in a small saucepan, whisking to remove any lumps, then mix in the rest of the cream. Bring the custard mix to a gentle boil, then take off the heat. Leave to cool to room temperature, then put in the fridge to chill – to prevent a skin from forming on the top of the custard, cover the surface of the custard with a circle of greaseproof paper just touching the top of it.

When you’re ready to serve, mix the creme fraiche into the custard mix, then serve with slices of the cake.

Meera Sodha’s summer strawberry cake with luxury Bird's custard. Photograph: Louise Hagger/The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/jul/22/vegan-summer-strawberry-cake-luxury-birds-custard-recipe-meera-sodha

Your vegan diet needs algae, according to experts

From uk.sports.yahoo.com/news

                               Your vegan diet needs algae, according to expertsAnna Denisova - Getty Images

Experts say algae may be the secret to replacing a key vitamin missing from plant-based diets.

Scientists at Cambridge University discovered many types of algae accumulate high levels of B12, an essential micronutrient, found in meat, fish and dairy, which is essential for our blood and cell nerve manufacture.

B12 deficiency is common among vegans, with over 6.5% testing low, which can lead to muscle weakness, fatigue, nausea and weight loss. Over time, it can increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes, as well as an autoimmune disorder called pernicious anaemia.

With around 1.4 million vegans in the UK (around 2.5% of the population), that’s 91,000 people with low levels of B12 — a lot of B12 deficiency. 

Vegan diets supply only a fraction of B12 required — about 0.5 micrograms per day, according to the European Journal of Nutrition, which is far below the RDA of 2.4 micrograms, especially for pregnant, breastfeeding or older people.

Nori, seaweed used in Japanese cuisine, has until now thought to be the most suitable plant-based alternative. Though various algaes contain B12, they aren't recommended for humans — and can even inhibit B12 absorption.

Like nori, the researchers found algae doesn’t make the B12 itself but it’s found in bacteria that it collects from its surroundings. Though it doesn’t use land space that could be used for crops, the harvesting is currently energy intensive.

The team, lead by Professor Alison Smith, established which varieties had B12 that worked in humans. Here's hoping for a roll-out of B12-boosting supplements in the not too distant future.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/vegan-diet-needs-algae-according-140000029.html