We hope you’ve tried and enjoyed some of the recipes we’ve been sharing. This week, as well as recipes, we’re going to share some info about protein which often seems to crop up in discussions about eating less meat.
Many people seem concerned about maintaining adequate protein levels and worry that reducing meat will adversely affect them. This is often used as a ploy in advertising and, for most people, is a concern not borne out by evidence. Generally adults need around 58g of protein a day, but the average European eats way more than that at around 80g. Source: Fork Ranger app
Unless you’re an athlete, it’s not until you reach your sixties that you begin to need these higher protein levels to maintain muscle mass. But don’t take our word for it – visit the British Heart Foundation website where they have a whole page dedicated to how replacing animal proteins with more plant-based proteins, can actually benefit your health. They also have information on how much protein you actually need per kilo of body weight at different stages of life and levels of activity.
Their top recommendations for non-meat protein sources are: pulses, soya/tofu, quinoa, nuts, seeds, wholegrains, dairy and eggs. So this week’s recipes will focus on non-meat protein (with maybe a tiny smidge of chorizo for those who can’t resist it!)
Before we dive in though, here’s a quick recommendation for our favourite bean brands. If you’re going to love beans you need to try the best, after all you’ll be saving money by reducing meat so why not pay a bit more? Precooked beans in a jar or sachet cost less to cook and are ready quicker, plus they are carefully selected varieties, chosen for taste, texture and sustainability so win, win, win. Our favourite are The Bold Bean Company who produce large jars of deliciously tender, tasty pulses – highly recommended. If you need a smaller quantity try Belazu or sachets from Merchant Gourmet – all are available at Waitrose and Sainsbury’s, and Asda stocks Merchant Gourmet. Granted they aren’t the cheapest way of buying pulses, but when beans are the star of the meal, we think they’re worth a little investment. Enjoy!
Unusual ingredients to invest in this week: white miso paste, tahini, silken tofu
The Ultimate Traybake Ragu from Ixta Belfrage and Yotam Ottolenghi. Incredibly satisfying flavour-wise! Don’t be put off by the long ingredients list – if you have a food processor this is actually quite a quick recipe to prep. Serve with pasta, rice or in a lasagne. Gluten-free (depending on what you serve it with) and vegan. 5-15 mins prep, 1hr 20 mins cook
Roasted cauliflower and chick peas with herby tahini by Paige Adams. This is a really quick recipe that this both simple and delicious. Roasting both the cauliflower and the chickpeas gives a dish that is wonderfully golden brown and crisp at the edges. The herby tahini sauce brings a fresh nutty lemony zing to the dish. Serve with quinoa, rice or grains, or in a pitta or flatbread. Vegan. 5-10 mins prep, 30 mins cook.
Creamy Butterbean Gratin with roasted tomatoes and a miso sauce. Another Ixta Belfrage recipe this time with silken tofu for creaminess. The use of cherry tomatoes mean it’s not strictly seasonal but in a couple of months sun-ripened tunnel-grown Spanish cherry toms will be in shops until then tinned cherry toms are a decent substitute. If you don’t have maple syrup, honey is a good vegetarian alternative. Gluten-free and vegan. 20 min prep, 50 min cook.
Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Linguine from @CookieandKate on Instagram. A healthy comforting meal with meat-free carbonara vibes. Squash is plentiful at this time of year so make the most of it! Red pepper flakes aka chilli flakes add some spice, and while frying sage leaves may sound like a faff, it’s ever so quick and really adds a lot taste-wise. We fry a few leaves whole for garnish too. Vegan. 20 mins prep, 35 mins cook.
Tofu Peanut lettuce cups by Yotam Ottolenghi. Really simple and quick, this unusual tofu peanut stir-fry is delicious and very flexible. Serve in Little Gem leaves as suggested, or for a more substantial meal try stuffing pitta breads with the mix and shredded lettuce. Great as a ‘bring and share’ dish. Vegan and gluten-free. Can be eaten hot or cold. 15 mins prep, 20 mins cook.
Huevos Rancheros from Kay Chun. Double protein! As New York Times recipes are behind a paywall we’ve been cheeky and downloaded it for you here. Not quite seasonal if you use fresh tomatoes but you can make a decent salsa with tinned toms until May when sustainable fresh ones start coming in. Vegetarian. 10 mins prep, 35 mins cook approx.
Braised Hispi Cabbage with Chorizo and Chickpeas from Thomasina Miers. If you’re craving a burst of umami spiciness, then allow yourself a little chorizo! This recipe transforms hispi cabbage (the pointy ones) into something made in heaven. Try it if you don’t believe me! Lo-meat and gluten-free. 15 mins prep, 50 mins cook.
Fruity Peanut Rice from Fork Ranger. Nuts are a brilliant sauce of protein and can give a dish a new dimension. To make this recipe more seasonal and sustainable right now, we’d suggest avoiding fresh green beans until the summer when they’re in season in Europe. You can either use frozen green beans or frozen peas, or replace the beans with broccoli florets or kalettes. Vegan and gluten free. 10 mins prep, 20 mins cook.
Fork Ranger is a great little free app exploring the sustainability of food in all its forms in a really fun and accessible way. Its creators are Dutch but the principles and stats it uses apply to the whole of Europe including the UK. Every day a new quiz and recipe are unlocked and you get to learn a little bit more about the carbon impact of our food. Well worth a look.
See you next week – enjoy! And please do comment on social media with your favourite plant-rich recipes and let us know you’re getting on with ours. Growing Ability made the Cheesy Spicy Black Bean Bake from week 1 last week and it went down a storm!