Embrace Vegan Month with these delicious recipes
November is here, which means it's time to celebrate Vegan Month—a perfect opportunity to explore the benefits of plant-based living.
For those unversed, veganism is a lifestyle that abstains from all animal products, including dairy, and it's gaining traction not just for health reasons but also for its environmental sustainability.
Given the climate crisis, switching to a vegan diet significantly contributes to a healthier planet.
According to ProVeg South Africa, the global vegan movement is flourishing, with more individuals switching and adopting vegan lifestyles.
This surge was highlighted during the recent Veganuary campaign in January 2024, which saw a record-breaking 25 million people committing to a month without animal products.
Impressively, over 25% of participants have continued their vegan journey as of October.
The international market for vegan foods is booming, with projections indicating it will reach a staggering USD 65.4 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 10.41%.
In South Africa, despite some retailers reducing their variety of plant-based meat alternatives, popular items continue to thrive.
New entries, like Fry's southern fried strips and Beyond Meat's chicken nuggets and steak, are now widely available at Woolworths, indicating a robust consumer interest in vegan options.
Moreover, the demand for plant-based choices is infiltrating the fast-food sector in SA, though many consumers may not be fully aware of the range of options on offer.
While looking beyond our borders, plant-based fish alternatives are gaining traction in various markets, alongside ongoing developments in lab-grown and cultivated meats.
However, the newly elected Republican leadership in the United States has expressed concerns over lab-grown meats, potentially resulting in federal push-back during the upcoming presidential term beginning in 2025.
To help readers embrace this Vegan Month, ProVeg South Africa, along with renowned food blogger and cookbook author Leozette Roode, has shared a selection of enticing vegan recipes perfect for trying out any day of the month.
Double thick protein chocolate smoothie
Note: You can add extra protein and creaminess to your smoothie by simply adding silken tofu.
Serves: 2
Ingredients
300-400ml plant-based milk
2 bananas
1 cup silken tofu
6-8 pitted dates
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
2 tbsp cacao
Method
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and chill in the fridge.
Line the inside of your glasses with chocolate syrup or chocolate nut butter.
Add smoothie mix to glasses.
Top with more cacao and or cacao nibs
Tofu scramble
Note: Tofu scramble is a fantastic alternative to the popular egg scramble and tastes every bit as good. To give the scramble an eggy taste, we add a sprinkle of kala namak – an Indian black salt that tastes just like a boiled egg.
You can fry up the tofu with a variety of different vegetables, including spinach, green and red peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, asparagus or even a vegan meat alternative.
Serves: 2
Ingredients
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 punnet mushrooms, sliced
¼ tsp salt
1 pack of firm tofu, drained
2-3 tbsp almond milk or 1 tsp Ole margarine
1 tsp turmeric
¼ tsp black salt (kala namak)
½ tsp Ina Paarman garlic and herb seasoning
2 cups spinach, cored and chopped into chunks
6 peppadews, quartered
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Heat one teaspoon of oil in a non-stick pan and fry the onion until translucent. Set aside.
In the same pan, fry the mushrooms by adding a sprinkle of salt and putting a lid on the pan until the mushrooms have released all their moisture. Remove the lid and cook until all liquid has evaporated. Set mushrooms aside.
Crumble tofu into pieces using your hand or a potato masher. Add the crumbled tofu to a clean pan, along with another teaspoon of oil, and fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly until starting to brown.
Add the almond milk or butter if using, season with the spices, and mix well.
Add the cooked onion and mushrooms, and the chopped spinach and peppadews, and mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve on seed bread toast with your favourite chutney.