Meera Sodha’s vegan recipe for rice and peas with mint and sesame oil

From theguardian.com

A comforting mishmash of east and west: shortgrain rice and peas from Italy, cooked in a miso and ginger broth, and topped with a minty dressing 

Today’s recipe is the love child of Italian risi e bisi and my beloved congee. Risi e bisi is a tender, starchy Venetian rice and fresh pea soup that’s traditionally served to mark the start of spring (and St Mark’s Day), while congee is a thickish, soothing rice-soup of sorts that can be served in multiple ways. Here, I’ve taken elements of both: arborio rice and peas from Italy, cooked in a miso and ginger broth and topped with a fresh mint, vinegar and sesame oil, to create close to my perfect comfort food and the best of many worlds.

Rice and peas with mint and sesame oil

Meera Sodha's rice and peas with mint and sesame oil. Photograph: Louise Hagger/The Guardian. Food styling: Emily Kydd. Prop styling: Jennifer Kay. Food styling assistant: Eden Owen-Jones. Photo Assistant: Sophie Bronze

Prep 10 min

Cook 35 min
Serves 4

3 tbsp white miso paste
Rapeseed oil
200g spring onions (ie, about 14), trimmed and finely sliced
1 tsp fine sea salt
250g arborio risotto rice
5cm x 2cm piece root ginger, peeled and grated
200g frozen petit pois, defrosted
¼ tsp white pepper
40g fresh mint, leaves picked and finely chopped
2 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp toasted sesame oil

First make a stock. Put the miso in a large jug, pour over a litre and a half of just-boiled water, stir and put to one side.

Put four tablespoons of oil in a casserole pot on a medium heat and, once it’s hot, add the sliced spring onions and salt, and cook, stirring, for three or four minutes, until softened. Add the rice and ginger, stir to coat the rice in the oil, then pour in the miso stock and bring to a simmer.

Turn down the heat and leave to cook, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes.

Add the peas, cook for a further five minutes, then stir in the white pepper. By this point, the rice should be starchy but creamy, soft and almost soupy.

While the rice is cooking, make the mint and sesame oil. Put the mint, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil and a tablespoon of rapeseed oil in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Distribute the rice between bowls, spoon some of the mint and sesame oil over the top and serve.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2024/mar/30/meera-sodha-vegan-recipe-rice-and-peas-mint-sesame-oil-congee-risi-bisi

Vegan Food News of the Week: Slutty West Village, Steak & Eggs, and Just Salad’s Mushroom Meat

From vegnews.com

From Slutty Vegan’s new location in Lower Manhattan to barbecue bowls topped with Fable’s mushroom meat at Just Salad, we’re serving up the best in vegan food news of the week

This week, Atlanta-based hotspot Slutty Vegan continues its expansion with a 14th location now open in NYC’s West Village neighbourhood. 

Australian start-up Fable Foods makes toothsome mushroom meats that just landed on the menu at Just Salad.

Plus, Mike Tyson has a new edible in a shape that’ll make you do a double take. 

Read on for more. 

Vegan food news 

Steak and eggs but make it vegan? Coming right up. Swiss company Planted just launched a new vegan steak made from soy protein, rapeseed oil, beans, rice, and a proprietary blend of microbial cultures that give the whole cut a juicy and tender texture and rich umami flavour.

Planted

The new Planted.Steak is crafted at its cutting-edge facility in Kemptthal, Switzerland, where it produces “whole muscle” cuts of vegan meat through a sophisticated fermentation process. 

“Our Planted.steak is designed to satisfy even the most discerning palate,” Planted’s co-founder Pascal Bieri said in a statement. 

“It’s a true game changer, not only for us but also for the whole category,” Bieri said. 

Making steak this way also produces 97-percent fewer CO2e emissions and uses significantly less water than its animal-derived counterparts. 

For better eggs, we turn to Neggst, a German start-up working to disrupt the egg category with its vegan products. This week, Neggst unveiled two innovative additions to its line-up, both crafted from legumes: Poached Neggst and Neggst Sunny Side Up. 

These products, which are not yet available for purchase, offer a plant-based alternative to traditional eggs, featuring a running “yolk” for the poached option and a perfect fried egg alternative for the sunny-side-up version, suitable for avocado toast, English breakfasts, or burgers.

Neggst

“The mass production of chicken eggs uses an unnecessary amount of resources,” Co-founder and CTO Verónica García Arteaga said in a statement. “Neggst’s idea is to combine science and sustainability with the enjoyment of traditional egg dishes.” 

Next, If you’re in the mood for a little savoury snack, high-protein cookie makers Lenny & Larry’s just launched seasoned pretzels that might just hit the spot. Called “Fitzels,” the new line of protein-rich, plant-based pretzels, comes in three flavours: Pizza Palooza, Boujie Mustard, and Everything Bagel.

“Lenny and Larry are protein-powered and don’t believe you should ever compromise when it comes to fun or snacking,” Lenny & Larry’s CEO Jolie Weber said in a statement. 

“They’ve inspired us to amp up our snacking game with the big flavours of convenient on-the-go Fitzels,” Weber said. 

 

7th Heaven

For a little sweet treat, we’ve been reaching for Reese’s vegan peanut butter cups—which are not always easy to find. Luckily, vegan chocolate company 7th Heaven just launched an oat milk peanut butter cup that’s just as good and easier to find. 

“Our Peanut Butter Cups are the culmination of our commitment to excellence, sustainability, and compassion,” 7th Heaven Co-founder Elya Adi said in a statement. 

“It’s a proud moment for us to offer a product that not only competes with giants like Reese’s but also delivers a tastier experience,” Adi said. 

And if you find yourself in the United Kingdom this Easter Sunday, you’ll be happy to know that local vegan chocolate brand H!P has upped the size of its Easter eggs by 50 percent this year. 

Founded by James Cadbury, a descendant of the famous chocolate family, H!P’s Easter eggs are available in flavours such as Salted Caramel and the award-winning Cookies No Cream. 

HIP

“Choosing H!P this Easter doesn’t mean compromising on great taste,” Cadbury said in a statement. “Building on the success of last year’s sell-out eggs, we’ve made our eggs bigger than before but kept the price the same, while also introducing a delicious pouch of smooth oat milk chocolate buttons.”

Despite doubling in size, the vegan chocolate eggs maintain their previous pricing.

Vegan restaurant news

New York City just got even more vegan food thanks to the opening of a new Slutty Vegan in the West Village. The 14th location of the Atlanta-based vegan fast-food sensation is serving the same beloved menu, which includes favourites such as the Ménage à Trois and Hollywood Hooker, within its new 1,870-square-foot space. 

“Every day, people stand in line for hours to experience the juicy goodness of Slutty Vegan’s plant-based burgers, and we look forward to bringing the experience to the West Village,” Slutty Vegan Founder Pinky Cole-Hayes said in a statement. 

“This new location will have the same vibe as all the other Slutty Vegan stores except we plan to shine light and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and pride,” Cole-Hayes said. 

With plans to introduce a breakfast menu and a focus on takeout services, Slutty Vegan continues to cater to evolving consumer preferences while maintaining a strong commitment to social responsibility. Plus, it tends to attract plenty of celebrities so keep your eyes peeled for icons such as Tyler Perry, Viola Davis, Snoop Dogg, and more. 

Just Salad

Restaurant chain Just Salad—which has more than 70 locations across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Dubai—got a major menu upgrade this week thanks to Australian vegan meat company Fable Food Co. 

This collaboration introduces the BBQ Shroom Bowl featuring Fable BBQ Shiitake mushrooms, enriching Just Salad’s spring menu with a sustainable, plant-based protein option. 

The bowl combines the umami-rich, barbeque-flavoured mushrooms with a Sesame Edamame Mix and Miso Kale Slaw, reflecting Just Salad’s commitment to flavourful, nutritious, and environmentally friendly dining choices. 

Plus, over in Washington, DC, Planta Queen DC is launching a fun Friday tradition during the month of April. Starting on the 12th, the plant-based hotspot is teaming up with the popular soda brand Olipop to offer best friends an enticing lunch deal. 

Every Friday, diners who opt for the Plant Power Lunch ($28)—which includes a starter, signature dish, and cookie—during dine-in will be treated to complimentary Olipop sodas and a bonus Planta appetizer, the bang bang broccoli. Get there before 4pm to cash in on the deal. 

Vegan celebrity news

In celebrity news, actress Anne Hathaway is convinced that people think she’s vegan—even though she is not. At least, that’s what she told Vanity Fair in a recent cover interview that took place over green chickpea hummus, market beets, and honeynut squash at a plant-based restaurant in Manhattan. 

“I think everybody can agree I have the personality of a vegan,” Hathaway told the writer.

What Hathaway means by having a vegan personality is up for interpretation but the 41-year-old actress has previously invested in The Every Company, which uses technology, not chickens, to make egg whites that function just like their traditional counterparts. 

Tyson 2.0

Another vegan-ish personality? Mike Tyson was plant-based for two decades until 2020. The boxing champ, and cannabis connoisseur, is making a comeback of sorts with the launch of Tyson 2.0 Edibles, in Mike Bites and Night Bites varieties, across New York. 

“Growing up in Brooklyn, I could have never imagined a time when cannabis would be legally utilized to enhance both mental and physical well-being,” Tyson said in a statement. “Yet, here we are, witnessing the incredible progress.”

The shape of the gelatin-free edible gummies resemble an ear with a bite taken out of it, a callback to that one, ear-biting fight with Evander Holyfield that changed the course of boxing history as we know it. 

“New York, we still have improvements to make in expanding access to this plant-based wellness; but together, I’m confident we will forge a new standard of excellence, prioritizing safety, quality, and taste to ensure unparalleled experiences,” Tyson said. 

Changing scope to a different sport, Tia Blanco is a world surf champ who has been vegan since 2011. She recently partnered with Jambar, an organic energy bar company, to contribute to its vegan product line. This collaboration has resulted in the launch of the Tropical Trio flavour, inspired by the athlete’s plant-based lifestyle, and incorporates ingredients such as gluten-free ancient grains, walnut butter, and plant-based protein.

Jambar

Alongside Tropical Trio, Jambar introduced a 12-bar vegan box that showcases an assortment of flavours, including the newly created Tropical Trio, Jammin’ Jazzleberry, and Musical Mango. We are officially excited about snacking this summer. 

https://vegnews.com/2024/3/vegan-food-news-of-the-week-march-29

Low-fat vegan diet reduces insulin requirements and improves insulin sensitivity for people with type 1 diabetes, finds groundbreaking new study

From eurekalert.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A low-fat vegan diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans reduces insulin needs and improves insulin sensitivity and glycaemic control in people with type 1 diabetes, according to a first-of-its-kind study by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine published in Clinical Diabetes. The study also found that a vegan diet led to improvements in cholesterol levels, kidney function, and weight.

Type 1 diabetes is thought to be caused by an autoimmune reaction that destroys the beta cells in the pancreas that make insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps move glucose (sugar) from the blood into muscle and liver cells to be used as energy. People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin because their body doesn’t produce enough. Some people with type 1 diabetes may also have insulin resistance, which is a condition in which cells don’t respond well to insulin and glucose remains in the blood. Insulin resistance is strongly influenced by dietary fat, which can inhibit glucose from entering the cells. Over time, high blood glucose levels can lead to health complications.

In the 12-week study, which is the first randomized clinical trial to look at a vegan diet in people with type 1 diabetes, 58 adults with type 1 diabetes were randomly assigned to either a low-fat vegan group with no limits on calories or carbohydrates, or a portion-controlled group that reduced daily calorie intake for overweight participants and kept carbohydrate intake stable over time.

                                                                                                  Photo: Getty Images

Those in the low-fat vegan diet group reduced the amount of insulin they needed to take by 28% and increased insulin sensitivity (how well the body responds to insulin) by 127%, compared with those following the portion-controlled diet. This was associated with changes in body weight. Body weight decreased by about 11 pounds on average in the vegan group, compared with a nonsignificant change in body weight in the portion-controlled group. Changes in insulin sensitivity were also associated with increased carbohydrate and fibre intake. Previous research shows that reducing fat and protein intake is also associated reduced insulin requirements and improved insulin sensitivity in people with type 1 diabetes.

In the vegan group, total cholesterol decreased by 32.3 mg/dL compared to 10.9 mg/dL in the portion-controlled group. LDL cholesterol decreased by approximately 18.6 mg/dL in the vegan group and did not change significantly in the portion-controlled group.

Type 1 diabetes is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death. In this study, the reduction in insulin use on the vegan diet corresponds to a 9% reduction in cardiovascular risk; the decrease in HbA1c corresponds to a 12% and 8.8-12% reduced risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease, respectively; and the reduction in LDL cholesterol corresponds to an approximate 20% reduced risk for a major cardiac event, including heart attack and stroke.

Approximately 40,000 new cases of type 1 diabetes are diagnosed each year. Recent analyses project up to a 107% increase in prevalence of type 1 diabetes by 2040. The annual cost of type 1 diabetes care increased by more than 50% from 2012 and 2016, primarily due to rising costs of insulin and diabetes monitoring equipment.

“With the cost of insulin remaining a concern for many, our ground-breaking research shows that a low-fat vegan diet that doesn’t restrict carbs may be the prescription for reducing insulin needs, managing blood sugar levels, and improving heart health in people with type 1 diabetes,” says Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, the lead author of the study and director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

The authors of the study say that larger trials are needed to confirm these findings.

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1039601 

The Top 5 Recipes You’ve Been Cooking In March

From plantbasednews.org 

These are your top vegan recipes from the month of March, including two kinds of lasagne and baked tomato orzo

As of March 20, it’s officially spring, but in the UK at least the cold weather is still hanging around a little longer. Perhaps that’s why the top vegan Plant Based News recipes for March have been warming, nourishing, and comforting, including two different kinds of lasagne, and a baked orzo dish. (Orzo was also a favourite last month, too.)

Here’s our top-five roundup for March, with a distinctly Italian theme. Buon appetito.

1. High protein vegan lasagne

Created by Sarah Cobacho at Plantbaes, this high-protein, plant-based spin on a traditional lasagne is nutritious and comforting, making it a good meal prep option for weeknights during the still-chilly days of early spring. It combines textured vegetable protein (TVP) with mushrooms for a meaty texture, and 200g of TVP contains around 52g of protein.

        This vegan recipe from Plantbaes combines TVP with mushrooms     Plantbaes

Find the recipe here.

2. Roasted cauliflower bowl

This recipe is another one from Plantbaes, and it combines the seriously underrated – and extremely versatile – cauliflower with a garlic confit yogurt dip. The creamy vegetable is extremely nutrient-dense and includes vitamins C, K, and folate along with fibre. The harissa gives everything a peppery, smoky flavour which the fresh taste of the parsley highlights.

    This cauliflower bowl makes for an ideal starter, main, or side     Plant Baes

Find the recipe here.

3. Balsamic tomato-baked orzo

Henry Firth and Ian Theasby from BOSH! created this dish using store-bought plant-based feta, of which there are now several varieties, but you could also try making your own using this additional recipe. While still comforting and hearty, Firth and Theasby say their baked orzo brings “the summer to your table,” making it a “certified keeper” for the rest of the year.

                      Have you tried orzo, yet?                BOSH!

Find the recipe here.

4. The ultimate vegan lasagne recipe

Another recipe from BOSH!, this uses chestnut mushrooms for a meaty and nutritious filling packed with copper, vitamin B5, B3, B2, folate, selenium, and potassium. It pairs particularly well with a salad and is suitable for batch cooking and home freezing.

          Miso gives this “ultimate lasagne” a delightful umami flavour      BOSH!

Find the recipe here.

5. Creamy cannellini pie

This recipe is the third option from BOSH! in our March round-up and makes for a perfect main course. Firth and Theasby describe it as “crisp puff pastry, herby pesto, a beautifully textured filling, and a side of smooth mashed potatoes make this recipe a great comfort meal.”

As a bonus, this recipe can easily be made either as six pre-portioned individual pies or as one large pie for cutting up and sharing.

BOSH!       BOSH! flavour this high-protein cannellini bean pie with fresh, herby pesto

Find the recipe here.

https://plantbasednews.org/veganrecipes/dinner/top-recipes-march/

"On a Healthy Vegan Diet, I’ve Healed My Liver, Reversed Type 2 Diabetes, and Lost 35 Pounds"

From forksoverknives.com

By Patricia S. Spratt

Prior to going plant-based, my diet consisted mostly of fatty, fried fast food I could quickly grab on my lunch breaks. Dinner was anything I could cook up quickly, always with some form of animal protein as the main course.

On December 24, 2021, I had an appointment with a hepatologist, arranged by my primary care physician after blood work revealed that my liver enzymes were in the cosmic range. The hepatologist ordered more tests, the results of which showed that I had non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), likely the result of a nasty gene in my family: alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Imaging showed a median liver stiffness score of 13.2, which indicated “severe fibrosis/cirrhosis.”

I was also obese, weighing 184 pounds; had Type 2 diabetes, with an A1C (a measure of average blood sugar) of 7; and had high cholesterol. The doctor told me that if I did not change my diet and sedentary lifestyle, I would be a candidate for a liver transplant within three to six years. Well, that was a lovely Christmas present!

DISCOVERING A VEGAN DIET

When I told one of my stepdaughters the news, she told me to watch the Forks Over Knives documentary. So I did—three times. After that, I immediately became a vegan. My focus was on repairing and keeping my liver healthy. I was pleasantly surprised when, a few weeks into my new diet, I found myself losing weight.

As for my liver, I went for another check-up in April 2022, and imaging showed a much improved liver stiffness score, of 4.3. Imaging in March 2023 showed a liver stiffness score of 3.7. And my most recent imaging, in January 2024, showed liver stiffness of 2.7, which indicates “no significant fibrosis,” or “normal/inflammation.”

NO LONGER LIVING IN FEAR

It’s been more than two years since I adopted a healthy vegan diet. Along the way, I have lost 35 pounds (I need to buy a new wardrobe!) and reversed my diabetes, with my most recent blood work showing an A1C of 5.6 (normal). I’ve lowered my cholesterol to the normal range, as well. And I did it all with a plant-based diet—which, by the way, is delicious!

Because I have never met a vegetable or spice that I don’t like, I have really enjoyed making stews and soups with spices from North Africa, India, Asia, and Central America. There are some really great vegan cookbooks out there (including those from Forks Over Knives).

To minimise my exposure to toxic chemicals, I also stopped colouring my hair, as you can see from the photos. I actually like the silver look better than the dark brown!

I am so very grateful to my stepdaughter for telling me to watch Forks Over Knives. I no longer live in fear of liver failure, transplant surgery, or having to take immunosuppressant drugs for the remainder of my life. I tell everyone who asks how I did it to watch Forks Over Knives. For me, food is medicine—so, as a dear friend says, I am self-medicating!

https://www.forksoverknives.com/success-stories/on-a-healthy-vegan-diet-ive-healed-my-liver-reversed-type-2-diabetes-and-lost-35-pounds/