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Veg Week 2014: Vegan Spinach Pancakes | A Vegan Challenge With ‘Fire Style Magazine’

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To celebrate National Vegetarian Week 2014, The Tofu Diaries has invited fellow bloggers to get involved and share! Today’s guest blog is from Matt who is taking on the challenge of cooking his first ever (intentially) vegan meal using my vegan spinach pancakes recipe. Matt talks us through the experience, pulls me up on one glaring error in the recipe (so shameful!), and gives us his verdict on eating vegan.National Vegetarian WeekSo; first things first, my full disclosure is this: I am not a vegetarian. In fact; even the thought of a meatless meal fills me with dread. As the fantastically yellow family the Simpsons once sung, ‘You don’t make friends with salad.’ Well, in this case, they were wrong.

I’ve known Natalie for a long time; in fact we met whilst backpacking across Southern Europe. The sun was shining, it was exhausting heat but we befriended each other over a cup of Costa’s finest. This may or may not be true. The point is, I’ve met Natalie on a few occasions, and she’s lovely.

So after being propositioned I decided that it may be worth looking at something I had never considered before, and considering the rapid weight gain I seem to be unintentionally achieving, should have probably looked at earlier; a meat-free meal.

I’m not going to lie; the thought of this terrified me to my very core. Then again, I also like a challenge. So, after consulting with my better half, we decided after looking through a lot of delicious recipes that we would opt for the classic… Spinach Pancakes. Bear in mind I don’t even really like the idea of savoury pancakes so you can see how big of a step this was for me, but, as I said, I like a challenge. Thankfully, they turned out to be delicious.

First things first, Natalie doesn’t list the ingredients entirely correctly as I bought all the ingredients but when I was reading the recipes where the instructions were to add the tomatoes. I had no tomatoes. Now apart from that; I’m so thankful that this came my way as first off, I wouldn’t have ever tried it, and secondly, I now have something new that I can cook when my vegan friends come around! I feel very cultured. I will be applying for Come Dine with me now I possess this vital life skill.

Well, I had to refer back to the recipe but this was a pretty easy meal to do with relatively little that could go wrong. I managed to source most of the ingredients from my local supermarket so I was more than chuffed with that, and all in all it came to under a tenner so again, win-win.

I was slightly worried whilst stirring the spinach into the pancakes that the consistency felt a little thick, which was slightly true for one of the pancakes but the rest were perfect. To be honest though when I brought it out of the pan two of the pancakes looked like spinach bread, and I’m genuinely considering making these again to see if I can use them as a bread substitute; whether this is a good idea or not is another argument altogether. I was mostly worried about sourcing the products but as I say, they were all readily available. This has genuinely made me think I may cook one vegetarian meal a week just to build up my repertoire if anything!Making the vegan pancakesI took some pictures as I was indeed thinking that this could be a flop. As it turns out, it wasn’t. And it tasted better than I thought. So, not only can I say that I’ve enjoyed a vegetarian dish, but I also enjoyed savoury pancakes!

I may have burnt/over-cooked the topping a little, but apart from this (and the obligatory pancake flipping that I think I should have done maybe one minute later) there were virtually no hiccups. I also now know that me and my girlfriend own weighing scales.

Cheers for the challenge Natalie, I was sceptical, but I enjoyed it thoroughly!

Thanks to Matt for giving vegan cooking a go and for sharing his tale. I hope he has been won over to go meat-free for a meal every now and then! Be sure to check out his blog where he can usually be found charting his dining experiences around Leeds and his journey as a dad-to-be.

Veg Week 2014: How to Start Growing Vegetables the Eco-friendly Way

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To celebrate National Vegetarian Week 2014, The Tofu Diaries has invited fellow bloggers to get involved and share! Today’s guest blog is from Tom who is going to be sharing his tips and some great resources for getting started growing your own organic vegetables in an eco-friendly way. With summer on our doorstep (in the Northern Hemisphere that is), these should come in handy when you’re out in the garden. Since I am moving house in July and going to be having a garden for the first time in a long, long time, I’m going to be putting a lot of this into practice then!National Vegetarian WeekFor a vegetarian, there’s nothing more important than making sure your fruit and vegetables are top-quality and free from artificial additives. One great way to make sure your food is grown in an eco-friendly manner is to grow it yourself – but how do you do this?

Getting started

Composting

If you’re considering growing your own organic food, a composter is a perfect place to start. A compost bin allows you to throw away all your vegetable cuttings, old fruit, leaves, grass and any other organic material to create a new soil source. As more materials are added they will decompose, and break down into a useable (and organic) soil to use in your garden. An even balance between green (grass, peelings) and brown (paper, leaves, straw) will produce the best results. To find out more about composting, have a read of Recycle Now’s guide.

Soil

Aside from composting to create a new source of soil you should try to use only natural soil – no Miracle-Gro or the like. This is because whilst it may help plants grow quickly, it is filled with artificial chemicals to make plants grow quicker than they should – chemicals which will be absorbed by your vegetables.

Recycling and upcycling

Recycling and upcycling are both perfect ways of saving both money and the environment. Old jeans can be stuffed with padding and sewn up to create a new kneeling mat, whilst an old CD, hung from a branch, can scare away squirrels and other unwanted wildlife that might try to munch on your vegetable patch.

Choosing what to plant

When choosing what to plant, take a moment to think about where you’re going to plant it and the climate you live in. An apple tree will provide apples all year round, but will take up a lot more water than cabbages. If you’re going to plant more than one kind of seed, consider how much water each plant requires and try to plan accordingly.

Keeping it going

Once you’ve started and have begun to harvest your organic produce, there are a few more things you can do to further your organic growing efforts.

Encourage wildlife into your garden

Birds, bugs and bees are all part of a healthy garden, and can actually help your gardening. Worms can aerate your soil, bees can help pollinate any plants you have and birds can pick at bugs that might try to eat your plants. A healthy, thriving garden will have all sorts of nature working together to create a miniature eco-system, and encouraging it in rather than spraying harsh pesticides to keep it out will help it to grow naturally.

Making it sustainable

Sustainability is important when gardening, as it ensures your garden can continue for as long as you need or want it to. Lucy from Smallest Smallholding says “There are two fundamental factors you need to take into account when building an eco-friendly garden. Firstly, you need to think about what is already to hand, and secondly, the three ‘R’s ‘- reduce, re-use, recycle.” Recycling will help you to keep your garden growing for as long as you need it to, whilst reducing the amount you waste will help the environment.

Some final tips…

  • Anything that has harsh chemicals in – from store-bought compost to weed killer – will have a natural alternative. Look around before committing to using something with chemicals in that could get into your food
  • Make the most of what you have – if you have a small garden, try planting things like carrots and potatoes that won’t take up much room
  • If you’re unsure how much time you can dedicate to eco-friendly gardening and growing, start small and see how you go
  • If your garden is shaded, try to plant vegetables in the place with the most sun

The most important part of organic gardening is to enjoy it – you’re growing your own food, saving the planet and saving money; what’s not to enjoy!

For more information on how to help your whole garden become eco-friendly, read this guide. How do you keep your garden eco-friendly?

Thanks to Tom for this very helpful guide. Unfortunately Tom doesn’t have a blog to share with you – he has simply shared his expertise out of the goodness of his heart and in the spirit of Vegetarian Week!

Veg Week 2014: Supporting Teens Gone Veg | Guest Post from ‘Smart Girl Veg’

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To celebrate National Vegetarian Week 2014, The Tofu Diaries has invited fellow bloggers to get involved and share! Today’s guest blog is from Rachel whose work helps to support young vegetarians in their journey towards a meat-free lifestyle. As someone who made the decision to give up meat very young I wish Rachel’s book ‘The Smart Girl’s Guide to Going Vegetarian’ had been around back then! She is here to tell us more about why she chose to focus on teenagers, the concerns they may have, and how parents can support their children in their choices.National Vegetarian WeekHi, everyone!

As a US-based registered dietitian nutritionist and author of The Smart Girl’s Guide to Going Vegetarian, I’m excited to help my UK friends celebrate National Vegetarian Week.

Smart Girl’s Guide to Going VegetarianThe Smart Girl’s Guide to Going Vegetarian and the corresponding blog smartgirlveg.com are both written directly for the teenage vegetarian. Why did I choose to focus on teenagers? A few reasons:

1. Anecdotal evidence suggests that teenagers are the group most likely to experiment with vegetarianism. I have found that at least ¾ of the vegetarians I meet first went veg (or began their journey to veg) when they were teenagers. What’s more, I also meet a good number of adults who tell me that they’re not vegetarian now, but they were for a brief while in high school or college. Ask around and I suspect you’ll find the same (and if any scientist out there wants to conduct actual research on this topic, I’d love to hear the results).
2. Teenagers who go veg have special needs above and beyond those of adults who give up meat. More on that later.
3. I spent my teenage years transitioning from a meat-eating diet to a vegetarian one. That experience set me on a path to pursue nutrition as a career, and to develop a passion for educating and assisting teenagers who are in transition mode when it comes to their health. Long story short: I was a cruddy vegetarian, and it took me years to figure out that being healthy was more about what I was adding to my diet than it was what I was removing from it. I aspire to save others from the same trouble.

You may be wondering what’s so special about a teen gone veg. Here are some of the unique concerns for a younger person:

Control. Most teenagers are living at home with their parents; others in eat at a school cafeteria. Limiting your diet is one thing. Limiting your diet when you’re not the one doing the grocery shopping? Totally different.

Doubt. A teenager who decides to give up meat is much more likely to hear “oh, it’s just a phase” than an adult making the same choices. Many adults also jump to the conclusion that a teenager who eliminates meat from her diet may be dabbling in disordered eating behavior. There is some research suggesting that young women who have had an eating disorder are more likely to have been vegetarian at one point or another, however giving up meat is not indicative of disordered eating (that said, adults should always be aware of red flags for disordered eating in teens, which giving up meat in conjunction with several other characteristics can be considered. Read more about this in The Smart Girl’s Guide to Going Vegetarian).

Nutrition. All vegetarians should take care to get proper nutrition (including protein, zinc, B12 and more), however teen girls in particular have the added challenge of getting enough iron. Most teenage girls, vegetarian or not, don’t get an adequate amount of the nutrient, and since meat is one of the easiest ways to get iron into your diet, it can be hard for vegetarians to meet their daily needs.

Of course, with a little guidance, support, and good food, any of these hurdles can be easily overcome. If a teenager in your life is choosing to go veg on some level—whether they’re testing the waters by giving up red meat, going vegan, or anything in between—be sure to take their decision seriously and use the transition as an opportunity to bond. Share great blogs like this one, ogle beautiful vegetarian food on Pinterest and Instagram, tweet your ideas for Meat Free Monday (UK) or Meatless Monday (US), take your teen grocery shopping with you and, of course, sit down to delicious, health-enhancing meat-free meals together. You will both be nourished and nurtured from the experience.

Did any Tofu Diaries readers first go veg as a teenager? If so, please share your experience! How did you handle challenges when it came to control, doubt, and nutrition?

Thanks so much to Rachel for sharing some insights into her work and helping along the next generation of veggies. Be sure to check out her and follow her blog for more!

Veg Week 2014: 6 ingredient Chocolate Pudding | Guest Post from ‘Yes I am Vegan’

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To celebrate National Vegetarian Week 2014, The Tofu Diaries has invited fellow bloggers to get involved and share! Today’s guest blog is from Chaz who is sharing a little about her story of going veg and am amazing raw dessert recipe. I’m ashamed to say I haven’t tried it yet but it’s first on my list next time I’m making something sweet!

National Vegetarian WeekBeing a Guest Blogger on ‘The Tofu Diaries’ is such an honour. Thanks Natalie for letting me do this for you!

My blog space is ‘Yes! I am Vegan.‘ I post about vegan and gluten-free recipes. Being overweight pretty much my entire life (gosh! I sound old-I am 27 years young), a plant-based diet is what put me on track to lead a healthy life. I have not been sick in over 2 years (since going vegan), lost about 32kg and it makes me lead a guilt-free life knowing that I treat everyone and everything around me with respect they/it deserves.

The recipe I have decided to post is a simple, gluten-free, vegan, sugar-free, Chocolate pudding with avocados and bananas. No cholesterol what so ever!

6 Ingedient Chocolate Pudding6 ingredient Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe Avocado
  • 2 Bananas
  • 1 heaped tbsp Peanut Butter (Substitute with Tahini/Orange juice for different taste-I love peanut butter)
  • Cacao powder-to taste
  • Salt-a pinch
  • 3-4 Medjool dates, chopped fine

Method: Off they go into your blender and serve them topped with almond meal, desiccated coconut & blueberries.

Happy Eating Folks :) Thanks Natalie once again for this!

A huge thank you to Chaz from Yes I Am Vegan for sharing this delicious recipe. Be sure to check out & follow her blog for more yummy vegan recipes!

Veg Week 2014: Moroccan Carrot & Quinoa Salad | Guest Post from ‘Miles for Thought’

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To celebrate National Vegetarian Week 2014, The Tofu Diaries has invited fellow bloggers to get involved and share! Today’s guest blog is from Ani who is going to share her story of how moving to a plant-based diet was the natural progression for her as a keen runner and the benefits she has felt since making this change. Ani also has a delicious Moroccan carrot and quinoa salad recipe for us!National Vegetarian WeekMy name is Ani and I started Miles for Thought over a year ago.  My blog is an attempt to document my life as I strive to live a healthy and balanced life through the wild ride that is college.

Here is my story:

Throughout high school, I played soccer and lacrosse and was always active.  This being said, I always hated running.  Weird I know looking back… but running was always a punishment; for example, “oh you want to walk back into formation?  Go run 3 miles.”  Without the motivation of a team in college, exercise severely fell to the wayside.  It wasn’t until the spring of my freshman year that I decided to get back into shape.

Running became the perfect option.  All you need is a good pair of shoes and you’re off.  At first, I just ran whenever I felt like it and for however long I felt like it.  This has gradually transformed into higher mileage, faster times, and a detailed running log that keeps track of my training.  It was a tough beginning, but slowly a mile run became two, which became three and four, ultimately leading to many races including a marathon.  Not only did running become a way to exercise, but it became an escape from the stress which inspired the name of this blog.

As I got more into running, it was a natural progression to get serious about what I ate.  It did not make sense to me to put in the work and effort to increase my mileage, only to throw it away in the form of artificial sweeteners and preservatives.  Shock of all shocks: college kid does not drink alcohol or indulge in 2am pizza runs.  Instead, I decided to focus on eating real, whole foods.

My journey to transitioning to a primarily plant-based diet was a slow one.  I grew up loving meat, so a juicy burger or medium-rare steak was often our family’s way of celebrating birthdays and big events.  My mom is a phenomenal cook and I never questioned what I was served.  Dinner was a meat, a starch, and a vegetable – typical American.

When I began running more seriously, I gave up red meat for health reasons.  It did not sit well in my stomach before runs and I always felt heavy when I ate a steak or a burger.

Last summer, I ate white meat once or twice a week and the rest of my meals were filled with seafood and legumes.  I felt so much better when I began cutting out more meat and was never left with a sinking feeling at the pit of my stomach.  Not only was my running performance improving, but I felt much better throughout the day and found myself with more energy.

When I moved back to school that year and my meals were fully in my control, I decided to go vegetarian.  It was only a few months in that I became more and more plant-based, cutting out eggs and dairy.

There are many different reasons why people decide to go vegetarian, vegan, or limit a certain type of food.  I made this decision for my health and the link that animal protein has to certain types of cancer and heart disease.  Now the reasoning behind my decision has grown – there are so many ethical reasons to maintain a plant-based diet.  Quite frankly, I cannot believe I did not do this sooner.  I do not preach to those that choose to eat meat – my brothers and dad are meat and potatoes people.  I have made my choice and I am excited to cook and experience delicious and satisfying meals that are plant-based.Morroccan Quinoa Salad

Moroccan Carrot & Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

Spiced Quinoa

  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Salad

  • 5 medium carrots
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons raisins or currants
  • 1/4 cup toasted almonds, unsalted
  • Large handful each fresh parsley and coriander
Method
  1. Rinse the quinoa in a metal sieve for about 30 seconds.  Add quinoa and water to a pot and season with salt.  Cover and simmer for 12 minutes, then remove from heat and let steam with the lid on for another 5 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, ribbon the carrots using a vegetable peeler and place in  a large bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil, maple syrup, and lemon juice and set aside.
  3. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and add spices.  Add the spiced quinoa to the carrots along with the raisins, toasted almonds, and fresh herbs.  Toss everything together and serve immediately or refrigerate for later.  Serves 2.

Nutrition: 362 calories, 10g fat, 12g protein, 6g fiber, 60g carbs

Thanks so much to Ani from Miles for Thought for sharing her story and this delicious recipe. Be sure to check out & follow her blog for more!