Tag: diet

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Eco Eats

Bye Bye Eggs! 2 Healthy Vegan Breakfast Choices

breakfast-recipes-options

For most people, breakfast means eggs. This is why a lot of new vegans get completely lost in the morning. I mean, you can only have cereal and almond milk so many times before you get tired. There are a lot of reasons to go vegan, from animal welfare to religion. But even if you and your family are not completely vegan, there are a couple of good reasons to start eating vegan meals once in a while. It will really reduce your carbon footprint, and you don’t even have to completely change your lifestyle. Just a couple of meals a week. If you want to feed yourself and your family a healthy, egg-free and completely vegan breakfast, you can try these recipes.

vegan-french-toast-breakfast

1. Vegan french toast

That’s right, you can make french toast with no eggs or milk. And it will still be delicious. Being vegan doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some breakfast classics. You will need your favorite bread, around 4-5 slices, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or your favorite non-diary milk, 1/2 tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup, 1 tbsp chia seeds, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and any topping you like. Mix all the ingredients (except bread and toppings) in a large, shallow bowl or pan and place in the fridge for 20 minutes, to activate the mix and get the right consistency. Grease and preheat a griddle with medium heat. Dip each slice of  bread in the mix (both sides) so it soaks it up and place in the griddle. Cook until golden brown, carefully flip it and keep cooking until both sides are golden. Plate and top with coconut whipped cream, fresh fruit, maple syrup or any other topping you like.

2. Savory vegan chickpea pancake

If you are not one for sweets but will still like to enjoy one breakfast classic, try out this savory vegan pancake. You will need 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion, 1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper, 1/2 cup besan, chickpea flour or garbanzo flour. 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, 1/4 tsp baking powder, a pinch of freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. First, preheat a skillet over medium heat. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Add the water and whisk until there are no clumps. You really want to get some air bubbles in the batter. Stir in the chopped vegetables and spray some olive oil in the skillet. Pour the batter and cook for 5 minutes until you can easily slide a spatula underneath it. Flip it over and keep cooking until lightly golden. Serve on a plate and top with hummus, avocado cream, salsa or your favorite tipping.

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Eco Eats

Your Favorite Restaurants Ranked For Antibiotic Use

Chipotle-burrito-Mexican-grill

We all want to eat clean and keep ourselves healthy while caring for the environment. Unfortunately, that usually means we have to make all of our meals from scratch, as that’s the only way to be sure of what’s in our food. There’s no need to be so strict, though. If you are running late or you are just really tired, popping by the nearby fast-food place is understandable, as long as that’s not your every day diet. And some restaurants are better at the “clean food” than others. Antibiotic use is one of the most pressing issues when it comes to food production, as widespread use of antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistance (or “superbugs”, as the media loves to call it),  which poses great health risks for humans. Just in case, here are your favorite restaurants ranked for their antibiotic use.

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Chipotle – Delicious, filling, delicious… who doesn’t indulge in Chipotle once in a while? Perfect for lunch or a late-night snack run, Chipotle is always there for you and your spicy food needs. It also has the best practices when it comes to antibiotics. It has publicly stated that most of their meat and poultry is produced with no routine use of antibiotics, so munch away.

Panera – Soups, salads and amazing sandwiches, Panera is a favorite for work lunch and maybe a cup of coffee with a croissant. They rank this high on the list because they have publicly affirmed that the majority of their meat and poultry is produced without routine use of antibiotics, so you can continue to enjoy their fantastic, if slightly overpriced sandwiches, knowing they are antibiotic-free.

McDonald’s – The old Mickey D’s already has a policy in place that limits the use of antibiotics on its chicken, and it has implemented a timeline to get completely rid of antibiotics in chicken in the next two years. However, this policy does not extend to beef and pork that are also served in the restaurant. Investors are pressing down on Ronald McDonald to fix that, so it’s possible that we’ll see a new policy covering pork and beef in the future.

Chick-fil-A – The fast food chain has a policy that limits the use of antibiotics in all its chicken. Which is a good thing, since that’s their main appeal. They have pledged to be completely antibiotic-free by 2019 and are taking action to meet the goal.

Dunkin’ Donuts – They rank pretty low on the list because, even though they have a policy to limit antibiotic use in their meats, they do not have a clear timeline to implement it. For now, you’ll probably want to stick to their coffee and donuts.

Starbucks – While the chain has made several statements supporting the “responsible use of antibiotics”, they have failed to implement a clear policy to eliminate antibiotics from their meats.

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Eco Eats

6 Non Creepy-Crawly Reasons We Should Start Eating Bugs

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Bugs. The word doesn’t exactly evoke a laid table with warm food and a delicious buffet. It just evokes that “eww” reaction we all naturally have when we think of these creepy crawlers. But environmentalists around the world believe that bugs might as well be the food of the future and that we should all start switching cows for crickets. Here are some very compelling reasons why we should start eating bugs.

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1. It’s more efficient – As much as we like cows, we can only eat around 40 percent of the animal. A portion of the non-edible parts (like the hide) gets used in other industries, but there is still a lot of cow we simply throw away. Crickets, on the other hand, are 80% edible, which means that raising them for food would make much more sense than raising cows.

2. It consumes less resources – In order to produce one pound of beef, we need 10 pounds of feed, which means a lot of agricultural resources are needed to bring that steak to your plate. The same 10 pounds of beef, however, can be used to produce six pounds of insect protein, which is exactly as healthy and will fulfill your nutritional needs.

3. It saver water – Water is a precious resource, you don’t need me to tell you that, especially now that we are facing several droughts around the world. Did you know that it takes 1,800 gallons of water to create one single pound of beef? On the other hand, one pound of insect protein only requires one gallon of water to be produced. Now, that’s sustainable protein.

4. It makes better use of limited space – During its lifetime, one cow will use the resources of two acres of land all by itself. When you compare that to the 4′ x 6′ pen that it’s needed to produce 55 to 65 pounds of crickets, there really is no competition. In a world where we are constantly deforesting new areas for agriculture, eating protein that takes less space to be produced could very well save a rainforest or two. Not too shabby for a bunch of crickets.

5. There are enough insects for everyone – The UN is seriously considering the idea that insects might be the solution to finally end world hunger. There are forty tons of insects in the world to every human, that’s more than enough to eat your heart out. Besides there are over 1000 varieties of insects that are edible to humans, so you are probably going to find something you like.

6. Some countries are already eating insects – Thailand and Cambodia are two countries where they already eat insects on the regular. The first ones deep-fry crickets and the seconds eat tarantulas. This means there is already a world of exotic recipes we haven’t even tried, and it involves insects.

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Eco Eats

5 Reasons To Go Meatless Today

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People say old habits die hard. That definitely applies when it comes to food. Changes in diet are always difficult, but a positive attitude, a good dose of motivation, lots of perseverance and serious commitment is the perfect recipe for success. If you’re considering to go green, today is your lucky day. We’ve decided to bring you five excellent reasons to finally take the leap. Take a look.

The meat on your plate is a result of a long chain of animal suffering
For somebody to be able to eat a slice of meat, an animal must suffer a life of torture, confinement and pain. About 95% of animals raised for human consumption live dreadful lives in factory farms all over the world. These facilities have little to do with our childish conception of farmhouses. The term “Industrial Farm” is a euphemism for tiny cages, captivity, deprivation, filth, dirt, disease and cruelty. Ask yourself what is it that you’re eating and where it came from. You may be surprised to discover the truth.

Meat consumption contributes to economic inequality and global famine
Raising cattle at industrial levels calls for an enormous amount of grain. Cattle consumes a quantity of food that would serve to feed far more people than the current global population. Wouldn’t that be a better redistribution of resources? Is a hamburger worth the exploitation of workers, the suffering of animals and the starvation of thousands? Do consider this the next time you stop by a MacDonald’s Auto-Drive to get a quarter pound.

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Meat consumption is strictly related to environmental pollution
Fossil fuels, gallons of water and a vast amount of fertile land is needed to keep the meat industry going. Not only is this a tremendous waste of valuable, non-renewable resources, but extensive stock-breeding also produces a large amount of greenhouse gases, tons of animal waste and severe damage to ecosystems.

Less meat equals more health
A vegetarian diet is beneficial for the body. It reduces cholesterol levels, lowers the risk of heart disease, cancer, gallstones and kidney failure. Less meat also reduces the risks of osteoporosis and food-borne illnesses. Vegetarianism also contributes to a slim figure as it reduces chances of developing obesity.

 A meatless diet is contributing to change on a global scale
I know it sounds like total gibberish, but it’s true. The bottom line is that eating meat means killing animals. And we’ve done enough killing over the centuries. Maybe we should bear in mind the words of singer Paul McCartney: “If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is just stop eating meat. Vegetarianism takes care of so many things in one shot: ecology, famine, cruelty”.

 

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Eco Eats

Easy Ways To Change Your Eating Habits

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Eating healthy is a really noble goal, but it’s so easy to mess up once and just give up altogether. In the end, the only thing we manage to do is keep eating unhealthy snacks, junk food and overprocessed dishes, but while feeling even guiltier about it. Forget the fad diets and the extreme changes, here are some easy ways to help you change your eating habits and eat healthy, without the suffering.

Freeze your veggies

Next time you go grocery shopping, throw in a few more veggies than usual. When you get home, portion them and stick them in the freezer. Now you’ll always have a serving of veggies handy that you can add to every meal. Try to incorporate those veggies to all your dishes. Pasta with broccoli, spinach omelet, veggie stir fry and even veggie pizza are all great ways to do this.

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Go grocery shopping on Fridays

Instead of rushing the store on Sunday like everyone else, and wade through the crowds to buy your food, go on Friday after work. This way, you will be less likely to order take out or eat out during the weekend, because your pantry will be well-stocked. Besides, you get the whole weekend to plan your meals for the week and even prepare some in advance.

Eat the vegetables on your plate first

This way, you will fill up with healthy fiber and nutrients before you get to fatty foods or carbs, so you will eat less. In addition, you should stop eating once you are full and not force yourself to clean the plate. You can always have leftovers. The best way to eat around your plate is veggies first, then protein and lastly, carbs.

Portion your snacks

If you are eating chips or pop-corn, don’t eat out of the bag. Your brain will never tell you to stop until you finish it. Serve a portion on a plate or bowl and put the bag away to maintain control. While we are at it, it’s best if you don’t get distracted during your meals. When you are doing something else while you eat, you tend to overeat because your body is only half-registering the food. Practice mindful eating instead, paying attention to the smells, colors and flavor on your plate.

Replace salt

Too much salt can lead to hypertension, heart disease and liquid retention. Instead of using salt to season all your food, use other spices. Garlic powder, basil, onion and curry are great, rich choices that will bring out the flavor in your food, while providing additional nutritional value. This way, you get more varied meals and reduce risk factors. It’s a win-win.

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Eco Eats

Things You Should Know Before Going Vegan

vegan-diet-vegetables-basket

Love them or hate them, the world is anything but indifferent to vegans. Admiration, contempt, snide comments, jokes, moral outrage and, above all, misinformation start flaring up every time the world “vegan” is mentioned. If you are thinking about cutting off all meat products off your diet, here are some things you should know.

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1. It’s not for everyone

There’s no shame in trying it out for a while and deciding it’s not for you. There’s no shame in going back months or years later and try it out again. Becoming a vegan is a pretty big lifestyle change, especially in a society that is still so “meat-centric”. And it doesn’t matter how you choose to eat, your choice is not the “right” one for everybody else. Vegan or not, you should still respect other people’s choices (and make sure they respect yours).

2. There are exactly three jokes about vegans, and you will hear them all the time

Everybody is going to think they are being super clever when they tell you that your food is what their food eats. And they are going to expect you to laugh when you hear the “how to find a vegan in a dinner party, don’t worry, they’ll tell you” joke for the millionth time. And every time food of any kind is mentioned, you will hear some variation of “steak is better than your food”. So get used to it. The jokes can get annoying, but most people are genuinely trying to get a laugh and not judge you. Laugh it off, change the subject and expect to do it again at the next dinner party.

3. You will feel an odd sense of responsibility

Whether you like it or not, as a vegan you will be sort of an ambassador for all veganhood. And you will probably not realize it at first but as time goes on you will start to notice that your actions affect how the people around you perceive not only you, but all vegans. And as much as you try to avoid it, you will find yourself trying to act a certain way to “prove” that you are not the stereotypical vegan, or that not all vegans are the same. You will probably hold yourself to a higher standard than before, which is fine. As long as it doesn’t get out of hand, of course. Remind yourself that you are still human, you are still your own person and you are allowed to be less than perfect all the time.

4. You will feel lonely sometimes

When you are trying to find one single dish on that menu that does not contain meat or cheese, when you are munching on the side salad at that dinner party, when you are debating whether to accept an invitation to eat out because you don’t want to make a scene… Sometimes you will feel very alone in the way you eat. And in those moments you will probably feel more tempted to cheat than any other time. But you are not alone. The Internet is a wonderful place and it will help you connect with other vegans to keep you strong in those moments.