How “AI veganism” has emerged as a values-driven refusal to adopt generative technologies

From milwaukeeindependent.com

Posted by TheConversation | Jan 15, 2026

By David Joyner, Associate Dean and Senior Research Associate, College of Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology

New technologies usually follow the technology adoption life cycle. Innovators and early adopters rush to embrace new technologies, while laggards and sceptics jump in much later.

At first glance, it looks like artificial intelligence is following the same pattern, but a new crop of studies suggests that AI might follow a different course – one with significant implications for business, education and society.

This general phenomenon has often been described as “AI hesitancy” or “AI reluctance.” The typical adoption curve assumes a person who is hesitant or reluctant to embrace a technology will eventually do so anyway. This pattern has repeated over and over – why would AI be any different?

Emerging research on the reasons behind AI hesitancy, however, suggests there are different dynamics at play that might alter the traditional adoption cycle. For example, a recent study found that while some causes of this hesitation closely mirror those regarding previous technologies, others are unique to AI.

In many ways, as someone who closely watches the spread of AI, there may be a better analogy: veganism.

AI VEGANISM

The idea of an AI vegan is someone who abstains from using AI, the same way a vegan is someone who abstains from eating products derived from animals. Generally, the reasons people choose veganism do not fade automatically over time. They might be reasons that can be addressed, but they’re not just about getting more comfortable eating animals and animal products. That’s why the analogy in the case of AI is appealing.

Unlike many other technologies, it’s important not to assume that skeptics and laggards will eventually become adopters. Many of those refusing to embrace AI actually fit the traditional archetype of an early adopter. The study on AI hesitation focused on college students who are often among the first demographics to adopt new technologies.

There is some historical precedent for this analogy. Under the hood, AI is just a set of algorithms. Algorithmic aversion is a well-known phenomenon where humans are biased against algorithmic decision-making – even if it is shown to be more effective. For example, people prefer dating advice from humans over advice from algorithms, even when the algorithms perform better.

But the analogy to veganism applies in other ways, providing insights into what to expect in the future. In fact, studies show that three of the main reasons people choose veganism each have a parallel in AI avoidance.

ETHICAL CONCERNS

One motivation for veganism is concern over the ethical sourcing of animal by-products. Similarly, studies have found that when users are aware that many content creators did not knowingly opt into letting their work be used to train AI, they are more likely to avoid using AI.

These concerns were at the center of the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists strikes in 2023, where the two unions argued for legal protections against companies using creatives’ works to train AI without consent or compensation. While some creators may be protected by such trade agreements, lots of models are instead trained on the work of amateur, independent or freelance creators without these systematic protections.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

A second motivation for veganism is concern over the environmental impacts of intensive animal agriculture, from deforestation to methane production. Research has shown that the computing resources needed to support AI are growing exponentially, dramatically increasing demand for electricity and water, and that efficiency improvements are unlikely to lower the overall power usage due to a rebound effect, which is when efficiency gains spur new technologies that consume more energy.

One preliminary study found that increasing users’ awareness of the power demands of AI can affect how they use these systems. Another survey found that concern about water usage to cool AI systems was a factor in students’ refusal to use the technology at Cambridge University.

PERSONAL WELLNESS

A third motivation for veganism is concern for possible negative health effects of eating animals and animal products. A potential parallel concern could be at work in AI veganism.

A Microsoft Research study found that people who were more confident in using generative AI showed diminished critical thinking. The 2025 Cambridge University survey found some students avoiding AI out of concern that using it could make them lazy.

It is not hard to imagine that the possible negative mental health effects of using AI could drive some AI abstinence in the same way the possible negative physical health effects of an omnivorous diet may drive some to veganism.

HOW SOCIETY REACTS

Veganism has led to a dedicated industry catering to that diet. Some restaurants feature vegan entrees. Some manufacturers specialize in vegan foods. Could it be the case that some companies will try to use the absence of AI as a selling point for their products and services?

If so, it would be similar to how companies such as DuckDuckGo and the Mozilla Foundation provide alternative search engines and web browsers with enhanced privacy as their main feature.

There are few vegans compared to nonvegans in the U.S. Estimates range as high as 4% of the population. But the persistence of veganism has enabled a niche market to serve them. Time will tell if AI veganism takes hold.

https://www.milwaukeeindependent.com/syndicated/ai-veganism-emerged-values-driven-refusal-adopt-generative-technologies/

Vegan, Flexitarian Or Carnivore? Here’s The Impact Your Diet Had This Year

From plantbasednews.org

Environmental footprint calculators can allow people to estimate the impact of their food choices 

Do you know how much what you ate this year impacted animals and the planet?

If you followed a vegan, flexitarian, or carnivore diet in 2025, here’s how to measure the effect of your food choices on your footprint, and the world around you.

How to work out the environmental impact of your diet

Adobe StockGoing vegan could save nearly 200 animals per year

Harvard University’s “footprint calculator” allows users to input the foods they typically eat in a week, as well as the frequency, and details about themselves.

The calculator then estimates the environmental impact of that diet over a year, providing averages and comparisons for context. If you want to roughly calculate your own footprint, this is one of the simplest solutions. (Note: the calculator only includes food-based emissions, so it does not reflect a person’s total footprint.)

Studies indicate that men have the largest climate footprint of all, primarily due to the cars they drive and the amount of meat they eat. Studies also show that the more meat, fish, dairy, and other animal products in your diet, the higher your overall environmental footprint. To visualize and compare, Plant Based News (PBN) input the details of common diets featuring different quantities of animal products.

For example, according to Harvard’s footprint calculator, a vegan diet might emit around 247kg of carbon, 1,416g of nitrogen, and 240,192 litres of water, which is well below the US national average per capita of 1750kg of carbon emissions per year.

Meanwhile, a vegetarian diet that included eggs, milk, and cheese as well as plant-based staples like rice, grains, legumes, and vegetables might create 512kg of carbon – also below the US national average – along with 4,708g of nitrogen, and 285,036 litres of water per year, for a slightly larger footprint.

Flexitarians, omnivores, and carnivores

Flexitarianism is trickier to estimate, as it might include both meat-eaters who have a single plant-based meal per week, and pescatarians who very rarely eat meat. A flexitarian who regularly eats eggs and dairy but only semi-regularly eats meat and fish might create 882,156kg of carbon, 7,114g of nitrogen, and 303,564 liters of water.

Meanwhile, the Standard American Diet (SAD), which includes plenty of meat, dairy, and fats, could create 1750kg of carbon emissions per year. A typical omnivorous diet might also create around 20,000g of nitrogen and 660,000 liters of water.

According to the footprint calculator, eating a carnivore diet has the biggest impact of all. Someone following a carnivore diet might have an annual footprint of at least 2,592kg of carbon, 35,633g of nitrogen, and a whopping 680,112 litres of water.

The calculator also described the 2.5k of carbon produced by eating carnivore as “far above” the US national average per capita, the second-highest in the world.

By reducing or cutting out animal products, people can minimize their impact on the planet - Media Credit: Adobe Stock

Eating vegan could save hundreds of animals per year

Animal agriculture is both the leading cause of climate change and the world's biggest cause of food waste. Farming animals contributes to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and pollution, and estimates suggest the industry kills at least 1.2 trillion animals every year. As noted by Sentient Media, the total number of human beings that have ever existed is estimated to be 117 billion; less than 10 percent of the meat industry’s annual death toll.

Studies show that opting for plant-based foods, which are more sustainable and efficient than meat and dairy, can cut emissions. Swapping animal proteins for plant-based meat can reduce your overall footprint by nearly 90 percent, and PETA estimates that adopting an entirely vegan diet can save nearly 200 animals per year.

Overall, food production causes roughly a third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), while a third of all produced food is ultimately wasted. All food production requires resources and causes emissions, but the current system, which prioritizes animal products, is inefficient and unsustainable.

According to the latest EAT-Lancet report, widespread adoption of the Planetary Health Diet could prevent more than 40,000 early deaths per day and save USD $5 trillion per year through improved climate resilience, environmental restoration, and human health.

Not everyone can avoid eating meat, for a variety of reasons, but many of us are fortunate enough to be able to choose the foods that we buy and consume. Cutting just a few hundred grams of meat every week can still make a significant, measurable impact on your environmental footprint, helping humans, animals, and the planet.

*All PBN‘s dietary calculations here were based on a 30-39-year-old man living in the US. Your footprint will vary depending on your age, gender, location, and overall lifestyle. These results are approximations only.

https://plantbasednews.org/news/environment/vegan-flexitarian-carnivore-diet-impact-year/

The carbon footprint of a vegan diet will surprise you

From vegoutmag.com 

By Jordan Cooper

Going plant-based cuts your food emissions by up to 75%, but the real story behind those numbers is way more interesting than you'd expect

You've probably heard that eating vegan is better for the planet. It's become one of those things people just kind of know, like how recycling helps or flying less matters.

But here's the thing: when you actually dig into the data, the gap between plant-based eating and animal agriculture is so massive it almost feels like a typo.

We're talking about a difference that makes switching to an electric car look like a rounding error. And yet, most people dramatically underestimate just how significant their food choices are when it comes to climate impact.

Let's break down what the science actually says, because the numbers tell a story that might reshape how you think about that veggie burger on your plate.

The numbers are kind of wild

A major study from the University of Oxford found that shifting to a plant-based diet can reduce your food-related carbon footprint by up to 73%. That's not a small tweak. That's nearly three-quarters of your dietary emissions just gone.

To put this in perspective, the average meat-eater's diet generates about 7.2 kg of CO2 equivalent per day. A vegan diet? Around 2.9 kg.

Over a year, that difference adds up to roughly 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide you're not pumping into the atmosphere. For context, that's about the same as driving 3,700 miles in a gas-powered car.

What makes these numbers surprising isn't just their size. It's that food choices are something you control three times a day, every single day. No waiting for policy changes or new technology.

Why animal products hit so hard

The carbon intensity of animal agriculture comes from a few different places, and understanding them helps explain why the gap is so dramatic.

First, there's the animals themselves. Cows and sheep produce methane through digestion, and methane is about 80 times more potent than CO2 over a 20-year period.

Then there's the land use problem. Raising livestock requires enormous amounts of space, both for the animals and for growing their feed.

About 77% of global agricultural land is used for livestock and feed crops, yet it produces only 18% of global calories. That's a wildly inefficient system.

The supply chain adds more emissions through transportation, refrigeration, and processing. When you stack all these factors together, even the lowest-impact beef still generates more emissions than the highest-impact plant proteins.

Not all vegan foods are created equal

Here's where it gets interesting. Being vegan doesn't automatically mean you're eating the most climate-friendly diet possible.

Some plant foods have higher footprints than others, and knowing the difference can help you optimize if that's your thing.

Air-freighted produce, like out-of-season berries or asparagus flown in from another continent, can have surprisingly high emissions.

Almonds and rice are more water-intensive than other crops. Highly processed vegan foods require more energy to manufacture than whole foods.

But here's the reality check: even the most carbon-intensive plant foods still come in way below most animal products.

A kilogram of chocolate has a bigger footprint than a kilogram of lentils, sure. But it's still nowhere near beef. So while there's room for improvement within a vegan diet, the baseline is already dramatically better.

The behavioural science angle

What fascinates me about this topic is why people underestimate food's climate impact so consistently.

Research suggests we're wired to focus on visible, tangible actions. Turning off lights feels like you're doing something. Choosing a bean burrito over a beef one feels less concrete.

There's also the issue of psychological distance. Climate change feels far away, both in time and geography. Your lunch feels immediate and personal. Connecting the two requires a mental leap that our brains aren't naturally great at making.

The good news is that once people actually see the numbers, behaviour often shifts. A study published in Nature Food found that carbon labels on menus reduced the carbon footprint of food selections by about 5%. Information changes choices when it's presented at the right moment.

What this means for you

If you're already vegan, congratulations. You're making one of the single most impactful personal choices available for reducing your carbon footprint. The data backs you up in a big way.

If you're vegan-curious or just trying to eat more plant-based meals, know that every swap counts. You don't have to be perfect to make a difference. Replacing beef with beans even a few times a week moves the needle significantly.

And if you've ever felt like individual actions don't matter in the face of systemic problems, consider this: food systems respond to demand.

Every plant-based meal is a tiny vote for a different kind of agriculture. Enough tiny votes, and the whole system starts to shift.

Final thoughts

The carbon footprint data on vegan eating isn't just good news for the planet. It's a reminder that we have more agency than we often realize.

In a world where climate anxiety can feel paralyzing, here's something concrete you can do today, tomorrow, and every day after.

I started photographing my neighborhood farmers market a few years back, and watching the seasonal produce cycle has made me more connected to where my food comes from.

That connection makes the abstract numbers feel real. Your plate is a daily opportunity to align your values with your actions.

The surprise isn't really that vegan diets have a lower carbon footprint. It's how much lower. And once you know that, it's hard to unknow it.

https://vegoutmag.com/lifestyle/gen-bt-the-carbon-footprint-of-a-vegan-diet-will-surprise-you/

Replacing Meat, Dairy, and Eggs with Grains, Legumes, and Other Plant Foods Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 51%, New Research Shows

From pcrm.org/news

WASHINGTON, D.C.— A low-fat vegan diet is associated with a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) and cumulative energy demand (CED) compared to the Standard American Diet, according to research by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine published in JAMA Network Open.

The study showed a 51% reduction in GHGE (by 1,313 g CO2-eq/person per day) and a 51% reduction in CED (by 8,194 kJ/person per day), mainly attributable to reduced meat consumption, followed by reduced dairy consumption in GHGE, and reduced egg intake in CED. To put this in perspective, 1,313 grams of CO2e is equivalent to driving a gas-powered vehicle about 4.3 miles. And this reduction in GHGE is happening every day people eat plant-based meals.

“As awareness of its environmental impact grows, swapping plant foods for animal products will be as ubiquitous as reduce, reuse, and recycle,” says Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, the author of the paper and director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. A recent survey found that nearly half of Americans would consider eating a plant-based diet to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“We know whole food, plant-based diets are better for our health and the environment,” she adds. “This analysis shows us just how impactful our daily food choices are.”

This research is published just after the EAT-Lancet Commission report issued Oct. 2 said that a global shift toward “healthier diets” that include more fruits, vegetables, and nuts and less red meat is necessary to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The new research is a secondary analysis of a Physicians Committee study, which found that a low-fat plant-based diet is an effective tool for reducing body weight and increasing insulin sensitivity and postprandial metabolism.

For this secondary analysis of environmental impact of diet, intakes from dietary records were linked to the USDA Food Commodity Intake Database and the database of Food Impacts on the Environment for Linking to Diets.

“Prior research has shown that red meat, in particular, has an outsized impact on energy use compared to grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables,” Dr. Kahleova says. “Our randomized study shows just how much a low-fat vegan diet is associated with a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, significant drivers of climate change.”

https://www.pcrm.org/news/news-releases/replacing-meat-dairy-and-eggs-grains-legumes-and-other-plant-foods-reduces 

Vegan diet can halve your carbon footprint, study shows

From frontiersin.org

Researchers from University of Granada and the Spanish National Research Council designed four ideal weekly menus with an equal energy value and following international recommendations for the daily intake of a wide range of macro- and micronutrients. Each menu was in accordance with an omnivorous Mediterranean, pesco-vegetarian, ovo-lacto-vegetarian, or vegan diet. The vegan diet reduced carbon emissions by 46%, water use by 7%, and land use by 33%, while the two vegetarian diets cut carbon emissions by up to 35%. The three plant-based diets were nutritionally balanced, except for small deficits in vitamin D, iodine, and vitamin B12, which can be remedied with supplements. The authors concluded that plant-based diets are equally nutritious and healthy as a Mediterranean diet, and much better for the planet.

Only around 1.1% of the world's population is vegan, but this percentage is growing. For example, in Germany the number of vegans approximately doubled between 2016 and 2020 to 2% of the population, while a 2.4-fold increase between 2023 and 2025 to 4.7% of the population has been reported in the UK. Many people cite health benefits as their reason to go vegan: moving from a typical Western diet to a vegan one can lower the risk of premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases by an estimated 18% to 21%.

Another excellent reason is to reduce your ecological footprint. Now, a study in Frontiers in Nutrition has calculated precisely how much plant-based diets like veganism lower emissions and the use of natural resources. It likewise showed that such diets deliver practically all essential nutrients.

"We compared diets with the same amount of calories and found that moving from a Mediterranean to a vegan diet generated 46% less CO2 while using 33% less land and 7% less water, and also lowered other pollutants linked to global warming," said Dr Noelia Rodriguez-Martín, a postdoctoral researcher at the Instituto de la Grasa of the Spanish National Research Council now based at the University of Granada, and the corresponding author of the new study.

Rodriguez-Martín and the research team composed four week-long sets of nutritionally balanced daily menus, including breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, and dinner. Each diet was designed to deliver 2,000 kilocalories per day, with servings and a composition based on recommendations of the Spanish Society for Community Nutrition, the Spanish Vegetarian Union, the European Food Safety Authority, and the US National Academy of Medicine.

Healthy lives on a healthy planet

The baseline was a healthy omnivorous Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein, with moderate amounts of fish, poultry, and meat. Two others were pesco-vegetarian and ovo-lacto-vegetarian, respectively including fish and seafood or eggs and dairy, but without meat. The fourth was vegan, where all animal-based foods had been replaced by plant-based alternatives such as tofu, textured soy protein, tempeh, soy yogurt, seeds, or legumes.

The researchers used public databases like the Spanish BEDCA (Base Española de Datos de Composición de Alimentos) and FoodDate Central of the US Department of Agriculture to calculate each menu's content of macronutrients, as well as of 22 vitamins and essential micronutrients, for example linoleic and linolenic acid, various forms of vitamin B, calcium, iron, and selenium. They compared these with daily intakes as recommended by international health organizations, separately for women and men, either 30 to 51 years old or 51 to 70 years old.

They also estimated the total ecological footprint of each menu, comprising a slew of key ecosystem impact indicators ranging from climate change and ozone depletion to water eutrophication and ecotoxicity, based on the public database AGRIBALYSE 3.1.1.

The results showed that 'cradle-to-home' total greenhouse gas emissions dropped from 3.8kg per day of CO2 equivalents for the omnivorous diet through 3.2kg per day for the pesco-vegetarian diet and 2.6kg per day for the ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet, to 2.1kg per day for the vegan diet – a reduction by 46%.

A similar pattern was found for water use – dropping by 7% from 10.2 cubic meters of water for the omnivorous diet to 9.5 cubic meters for the vegan diet – and for agricultural land occupation, falling by 33% from 226 to 151 points on a weighted environmental impact score associated with land use, expressed per day of diet. Interestingly, the vegan diet showed reductions of more than 50% in key ecosystem impact indicators compared to the omnivorous baseline, along with a greater than 55% decrease in disease incidence.

"Our analyses showed that all three plant-based menus were nutritionally balanced, with only vitamin D, iodine and vitamin B12 needing a bit more attention. Overall, the indicators clearly highlight the environmental and health advantages of plant-based diets compared with the omnivorous baseline," said Rodriguez-Martín.

Food for thought

"But in our four-way comparison – omnivorous, pesco-vegetarian, ovo-lacto-vegetarian and vegan – the pattern was clear: the more plant foods, the smaller the ecological footprint. The pesco-vegetarian menu showed moderate gains, though fish production adds some environmental costs. Vegetarian diets also performed well, cutting carbon emissions by about 35%."

But for those who wish to help the planet but are not prepared to give up animal-based foods entirely, the authors have an equally important message.

“You don’t need to go fully vegan to make a difference. Even small steps toward a more plant-based diet reduce emissions and save resources. Every meal that includes more plants helps move us toward healthier people and a healthier planet,” concluded Rodriguez-Martín.

https://www.frontiersin.org/news/2025/11/11/frontiers-nutrition-plant-based-diets-reduction-carbon-emissions-land-use

This Easy Vegan Salad Recipe Makes Plant-Based Cooking Earth-Friendly And Fun

From brit.co

Learn more about the benefits of a vegan diet from Hannah of Two Spoons 

No matter the time of year, it's important to reflect on the habits that impact our planet. We know that aiming towards a plant-based diet has a positive effect on Earth, reducing carbon footprints and in turn, diminishing climate change that threatens our livelihood as time passes. Though the 2°F increase in Earth's average surface temperature may seem minuscule, its effects shape the weather patterns we experience, change plant and animal habitats, and impact our health.

Because the effects of climate change are so holistic, any effort we can make as individuals to reverse or slow it are beneficial to us as individuals, and our communities at large. We spoke with vegan food blogger, Hannah Sunderani of Two Spoons, about easy changes you can make toward a vegan lifestyle that help our planet, professional vegan cooking tips, and a fantastically Earth-friendly salad recipe.

B+C: How does a vegan diet impact the environment?

Hannah: A vegan diet has tremendous benefits on the environment, from saving water, to improving the scale of deforestation, benefiting wildlife and our oceans.

I think Jack Monroe puts it perfectly: "one person eating vegan just one day per week saves approximately 40 lbs of grain (which could feed hungry populations around the world), 1100 gallons of water, 30 square feet of forest, and one animal. To put that into context, 1100 gallons is equivalent to almost 4 months' worth of showers… saved in just one day, by one person."

Now, think of the impact that would make if we went vegan every day! I think it's single-handedly the best thing you could do for the environment.

B+C: What are some easy ways that we can go vegan?

Pixabay / PEXELS

Hannah: Going vegan is actually a lot easier than you think! In fact, a lot of your favourite dishes and ingredients might already be "accidentally" vegan! Take dark chocolate for example – chocolate that is 70% cocoa or higher is actually vegan, since there's no dairy! Changing from milk chocolate to dark chocolate as an indulgent evening treat is a simple swap that doesn't really impact your life, but can impact the planet.

Another tip that I always give to beginners is to search for your favourite dishes, veganized! Take "Bolognese sauce" for example and add "vegan" to your Google search – you'll be surprised how easy it is to enjoy this veganized simple staple without compromising on taste! I like to swap the beef in traditional Bolognese for lentils. My Lentil Bolognese Sauce is an easy 30-minute meal that my family loves!

B+C: What are the best easy meals for beginner vegans?

Hannah: In addition to my vegan Bolognese, I love making my Vegan Alfredo Sauce for dinner because it's a quick last-minute recipe that pulls together and is so creamy and wholesome. A family favourite for sure!

Indian dishes are also really delicious and often already "accidentally" vegan. My Cauliflower Chickpea Curry is packed with wholesome veggies, it's filling and beautifully spiced! It's popular with vegans and non-vegans alike.

B+C: Sometimes when people hear "vegan salad," they picture a super bland, bare-bones salad. Tips on making a vegan salad good?

Gilly Topicha / PEXELS

Hannah: Oh my goodness! I always find this a hilarious comment, because salads can be so colourful and wholesome!

I actually have an episode on Vegan Afternoon with Two Spoons for Vegan Protein-Packed Salads that are full of flavour, colour and crunch!

My Moroccan Carrot and Chickpea Salad for example has chickpeas, quinoa and almonds for protein, with a delicious Moroccan-spiced balsamic vinaigrette that trumps any balsamic dressing you've tried. In fact, I'd take a bet that vegans make better salads than most people, because we know how to work with vegetables!

B+C: Any tips on making the most flavourful tofu?

Hannah: Absolutely! I like to call tofu the chicken of the plant world – it's so versatile, and it's all about how you flavour it.

Tofu can be used in so many ways, from tofu scramble (like scrambled eggs), to chicken fingers. It can be thrown into curries, used in vegan cheeses, cream sauces, and it can even be used to make dessert! Don't believe me? Try my Mousse au Chocolate, made with tofu.

I'll give you the best and easiest tip of all – add salt, pepper, and corn starch or arrowroot powder to your tofu, then roast it until golden. My recipe for Crispy Baked Tofu never disappoints! It's salty and crispy, and it's a fan with my one-year-old son, my husband, and even my mother-in-law who was a huge tofu sceptic!

Ingredients for Spring Mix Salad with Lemon Baked Tofu

Two Spoons

For the Baked Lemon Tofu Bits:

• 1 block extra-firm tofu
• 2 inch piece fresh ginger peeled and finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp white miso
• 1 tsp agave
• 1/4 tsp dried dill
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the Lemon Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 green onion with the white and light green parts, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp dried dill
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the Spring Salad:

• 4 cups spring greens
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 2 radishes, very thinly sliced
• 1 avocado peeled, pitted, and sliced
• 1 cup cooked edamame or peas
• 1/4 cup fresh mint tightly packed and chopped

How To Make Spring Mix Salad with Lemon Baked Tofu

Two Spoons

1. Make the Baked Lemon Tofu Bits: Preheat oven to 375F° (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Press the Tofu: Drain and rinse the tofu block and wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Set the tofu block on the countertop and place a large cutting board securely on top, followed by a heavy cast-iron skillet or heavy pot. Let the weight of the pot press the excess water out of the tofu for 15 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, add the ginger, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, miso, agave, dill, salt, and pepper. Whisk together.
4. Bake the Tofu: Using your hands, break apart the tofu into small, rough chunks directly over the bowl and toss in the sauce to combine. Spread the tofu mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the tofu is golden and crispy. Stir after the 20-minute mark for a more even bake. Remove from the oven and set aside.
5. Meanwhile, make the Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing: In a small bowl, combine the apple cider vinegar, green onion, olive oil, mustard, dill, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
6. Assemble the Spring Salad: In a large salad bowl or serving platter, arrange the spring greens, sprinkle with the quinoa and tofu bits, and decorate with the radish, avocado, edamame, and mint. Drizzle with the Lemon Vinaigrette and toss. (Alternatively, you can serve the vinaigrette on the side.)

https://www.brit.co/easy-vegan-salad-two-spoons/