8
Jul, 2023
Here’s Why You Should Swap Out Your Eggs for Just Egg (Plus 5 Excellent Recipes)

Here’s Why You Should Swap Out Your Eggs for Just Egg (Plus 5 Excellent Recipes)

For decades, tofu was the dominant alternative for vegan eggs. Sure, a block of soy can scramble nicely and blend up into a passable quiche, but the taste and texture were never quite spot on to the chicken egg-based dishes of our past.

Eat Just—formerly Hampton Creek—set out to change that. After a number of trial products ranging from vegan mayonnaise to cookie dough, the brand finally settled on the innovation most likely to change the world: a vegan egg replacement that could scramble, bake, and fry just as well as its bird-based inspiration.

Just Egg is a veritable game changer, not just for vegans craving familiar comforts, but for the foodservice industry and the planet. The recognizable yellow bottle has become a mainstay on most supermarket shelves, integrated itself onto omnivore restaurant and café menus, and can even be seen in commercials during primetime television. We like to think the folks at JUST conjured up some vegan magic, but the truth is, there’s a good amount of food science and research that went into this revolutionary, plant-based product. Here’s https://thevegangarden.com/‘s information that contain everything you need to know about Just Egg, plus five fantastic recipes to use it.

Here’s Why You Should Swap Out Your Eggs for Just Egg (Plus 5 Excellent Recipes)

What is Just Egg?

Just Egg is a mung bean-based vegan egg substitute. The inaugural product comes in a bottled, liquid egg form that can be scrambled, fried, and baked in much the same way a whole chicken egg can.

Subsequent products include Folded (egg patties perfect for sandwiches and toasts), Sous Vide Bites (think bite-sized baked egg cups similar to Starbucks’ egg bites you find in the pastry case), and Meals (a blend of skillet-ready Just Egg bits, vegetables, and spices).

While liquid Just Egg can replace chicken eggs in a one-for-one swap in many culinary applications, note that it cannot replicate egg whites. For egg white substitutes, give aquafaba (chickpea brine) a try.

Just Egg nutrition

Unlike many plant-based alternatives, Just Egg doesn’t rely on soy. The main ingredient is mung bean protein isolate. This unexpected base supposedly lends itself to Just Egg’s versatility. We won’t sugar-coat it, though—Just is a product of scientific innovation and consequently is made from a handful of ingredients you can’t find at the store.

In addition to mung bean, Just Egg contains water, canola oil, and less than two percent of dehydrated onion, vegan natural flavors, soy lecithin, salt, potassium citrate, sugar, tapioca syrup, gellan gum, and a few preservatives. Don’t let that shock you—the ingredient list is in line with many plant-based products, so if you have Impossible patties in your fridge or vegan chicken nuggets in your freezer, you’ll likely find they contain the same (as do countless vegan and non-vegan packaged goods).

What Just Egg doesn’t contain is cholesterol, trans fat, or animal-based hormones. Chicken eggs can’t claim the same.

Are Just Eggs healthy?

Healthy is a relative term and it all depends on an individual’s definition. If “healthy” to you means only ingredients you recognize, you may want to stick to your tofu scrambles and chickpea flour omelet. However, if “healthy” means no hormones or cholesterol and a decent macronutrient profile, then Just Egg will fit your standards just fine.

A three-tablespoon serving of liquid Just Egg contains 70 calories, five grams of unsaturated fat, 170 milligrams of sodium, and five grams of protein. In comparison, a large chicken egg (the standard size) also contains 70 calories in addition to five grams of total fat (1.5 grams of harmful saturated fat), 185 grams of cholesterol, 70 milligrams of sodium, and six grams of protein.

What isn’t noted on chicken egg nutrition labels is the FDA allowance for trans fat. Any food with 0.5 grams or less can claim to contain zero grams of trans fat. So, let’s say a chicken egg contains 0.4 grams. If you ate two eggs, you’d be up to 0.8 grams of this damaging fat, completely ignorant of the fact. While 0.8 grams may seem negligible, the USDA does not offer a minimum amount for trans fat—any amount can be harmful, and the US Dietary Guidelines recommend to keep consumption “as little as possible” or not at all. This is due to the risk trans fat consumption poses for coronary heart disease.

Like most processed plant-based products, JUST Egg is a significantly healthier option than its animal-based counterpart and can be a part of a healthy diet when consumed in moderation.

What’s wrong with chicken eggs?

The global human population consumes 1.4 trillion chicken eggs annually. This level of consumption requires 93 million acres of land and 51 billion gallons of water to sustain, according to Eat Just. To break that down, that’s 53 gallons of water per chicken egg. Yes, some of that is water for the chickens, but the vast majority of that is dedicated to growing the feed needed to raise egg-laying hens. Essentially, we’re growing food to produce food, which ultimately results in a dramatic loss of resources.

By eliminating the chicken and making eggs from plants, Eat Just claims to use 98-percent less water than conventional chicken egg production. The brand also claims to use 86-percent less land and emit 93-percent fewer carbon dioxide emissions.

According to estimates suggested by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the world will have to produce 60-percent more food to feed an expected global population of 9.3 billion in 2050 if we continue with our current animal-based consumption rates. That simply doesn’t seem sustainable or possible given the fact that we cannot conjure up more land to meet those demands.

Going plant-based is a viable solution, and the Just Egg revolution is helping to curtail the incessant use of our natural resources. No, this single product won’t save the world—it’s going to take a lot more than a morning scramble—but it is helping to shift the mainstream perspective in the right direction.

5 vegan Just Egg recipes

Just Egg comes in four varieties—the original liquid egg, folded, sous vide bites, and skillet meals. Here are five vegan Just Egg recipes to make for yourself, family, and party guests.

Egg Sushi

It’s hard to pull yourself away from the relaxing YouTube video for this recipe—The Korean Vegan’s soothing voice and methodic preparation of this Japanese dish are spellbinding. But when your stomach starts to grumble, scroll to the written recipe and make this tamago nigiri for yourself. Follow the instructions closely, and you’ll find you, too, can make great vegan sushi.

“Chorizo” Egg Muffins

Those who love a savory breakfast will delight in these portable protein bites. Packed with smoky vegan “Chorizo” suspended in a fluffy but firm Just Egg cup, two of these will suffice for a quick morning meal and a whole batch work well for a brunch buffet. Pro tip: freeze any extras and pop them in the oven for heat-and-heat breakfasts throughout the week.

Vegan Breakfast Egg & Potatoes

Bursting with juicy grape tomatoes, crispy potatoes, and fluffy Just Egg, this hearty breakfast is satiating enough to enjoy for breakfast or dinner. It’s the perfect dish to make for a crowd of mixed eaters—particularly if some of those eaters are vegan skeptics. One bite and they’ll beg for seconds.

Peanut Butter Jelly Bread

The classic sandwich just got a bit sweeter with this delightful, jammy quick bread. Just Egg provides lift and structure just as a chicken egg would. The resulting snack cake is moist, dense, and perfectly reminiscent of PB&J in dessert form—without being too sweet.

Vegan Pancakes

Whip up fluffy, diner-style pancakes in minutes with the help of Just Egg. These homemade flapjacks are unfussy and serve as the perfect canvas for pure maple syrup, chocolate chips, or a thick pat of vegan butter. Pro tip: use the leftover Just Egg to make a side of scrambled eggs for a tasty protein complement to your sweet stack.

7
Jul, 2023
10 Easy Meals for Vegan Beginners

10 Easy Meals for Vegan Beginners

Going vegan—particularly overnight—can seem like a big step. According to the US Dietary Guidelines and the unspoken rules of the Standard American Diet, you’re cutting out two whole “necessary” food groups (read: meat and dairy). But adopting a plant-based diet can (and should) be fun. It can also be delicious, rewarding, joyful, and, most importantly, simple. So, save the gourmet, multi-step culinary projects you’ve seen on TikTok or Pinterest for a few months down the road. For now, stick to the basics. All of these recipes take 30 minutes or less to prepare and require minimal, familiar ingredients. Plus, they’re delicious, so impress yourself and your family by whipping up any one of these 10 easy vegan meals. But first, let’s take a closer https://thevegangarden.com/ look at why a plant-based diet is worth trying in the first place.

What is the main reason to go vegan?

There are many reasons why people decide to remove animal products from their diet and go vegan. But one of the main motivators is animal welfare. Most meat, egg, and dairy products are the result of factory farming systems, which exploit and slaughter billions of animals—such as sheep, cows, chickens, fish, and turkeys— every year. So, in order to disengage from this cruelty, many choose to boycott any foods produced using animal ingredients.

But animal welfare is not the only reason people go vegan. Some may be motivated by health reasons, for example. A vegan diet (particularly a whole food, plant-based diet), is associated with improved health, as well as a reduced risk of many chronic diseases. For many, the environment is also a key reason. Animal agriculture is responsible for 14.5 percent of global emissions and drives deforestation and habitat destruction. But a growing body of research suggests that a plant-based diet needs fewer resources and emits fewer emissions, so it is far kinder to the planet.

10 Easy Meals for Vegan Beginners

Is it hard to go vegan?

Once you’ve decided to take the leap into veganism, it can seem like a daunting, difficult move at first. But if you take things slowly, starting with simple swaps, it can make things a lot easier. For example, think of one meal you love, and think about the plant-based alternatives you can use to make it instead. Pastas, curries, chilies, and stir-fries are just a few examples of simple dinners that can contain either meat products or plant-based ingredients, like vegan meat, tofu, beans, or vegetables. But if you need inspiration (as we all do sometimes!), here are a few easy meals to make when you’re just starting out on your vegan journey.

What to eat for dinner as a new vegan: 10 easy meals

Stuffed Black Bean Sweet Potatoes With Sour Cream and Guacamole

A loaded potato of any sort—sweet, russet, or purple—is a staple in any vegan arsenal. Ranging from super basic to gourmand, this recipe hits the sweet spot. It’s more than just canned beans and corn plopped onto a potato, but it’s simple enough to toss together on a hectic Tuesday night. If you’re short on time, purchase store-bought dairy-free sour cream (like Forager) instead of making your own.

Root Vegetable Bowls With Peanut Sauce

The more accustomed you get to eating vegan, the more you’ll realize it’s often the sauce that makes the meal. Truly, you can turn humble grains, greens, and beans into a $15 Buddha bowl by adding a quick homemade sauce. In this case, we do recommend making the sauce, as it’s so quick and many store-bought options contain fish sauce. Plus, you get to control the spice level.

Two-Step Vegan Chickpea Tuna Salad Sandwiches

Rely on the deli side. Of course, this quick chickpea mash is terrific between two slices of bread (try a bagel to switch it up), but it’s also excellent dolloped onto salads, stuffed in a pita, or wrapped in a tortilla. Sometimes, we’ll use it as a dip for raw carrots, toasty pita triangles, and celery. It only takes five minutes to make, but the possibilities are endless.

3-Step Vegan Diner-Style Pancakes

Few things are more satisfying in the moment than sitting down to a stack of giant, fluffy pancakes and watching syrup cascade down the sides as you sit contentedly at your own kitchen table. One bite of these flapjacks and you’ll realize nothing is missing from your new vegan diet. Add chocolate chips or blueberries if you want to get wild.

Vegan Banana Oatmeal Porridge

Master the perfect bowl of oats once and for all with this minimal-ingredient vegan breakfast recipe. Infused with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a bit of brown sugar, this banana-based bowl of oats is made for those who crave something sweet in the morning. Bonus: it’s far healthier and more filling than a muffin or a doughnut and only takes a few extra minutes to prepare.

Easy Vegan French Bread Pizza

It’s pizza night, and all you need are six ingredients to make it happen. The key to a quality vegan pizza is your choice of non-dairy cheese. Miyoko’s Creamery makes a solid mozzarella in two forms—sliceable rounds and pourable mozz made for pizza. Let your creativity (and the contents of your fridge) determine the rest.

Easy Vegan Tofu Egg Salad

Packed with protein and super versatile, this eggy tofu mix will surely make it into your weekly lunch rotation. Egg salad is one of those foods that you may not have enjoyed as an omnivore but will love as a vegan.

Vegan Roasted Lemony Broccoli Rigatoni

There are nights when pasta with a blob of store-bought marinara will suffice, but given a few extra minutes, you can add some fiber and pizazz to your go-to pasta night. While this dish takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and just six ingredients, you could even pass it off as a romantic date night meal.

Vegan Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

When you go vegan, you don’t have to sacrifice any familiar favorites. There are store-bought alternatives for many products, but you can just as easily make your own. This thick, belly-warming broccoli cheddar soup satisfies just as completely as its Panera predecessor—especially when served in a bread bowl (yes, sourdough bread is vegan!).

Healthy Sushi Rolls With Ginger-Tamari Sauce

Vegan sushi encompasses so much more than cucumber and avocado rolls. This recipe isn’t the most complex iteration of plant-based sushi, but it can also be pared down as well. If you’re short on time, skip the pink rice step and just go with plain sushi rice. You can also opt to purchase a creamy store-bought sauce like the ginger- and sesame-infused Japanese Dressing from Mother Raw.

6
Jul, 2023
What would happen if everyone went vegan?

What would happen if everyone went vegan?

The idea of everyone adopting a vegan diet might sound extreme, but in the last few years, the number of Britons following a plant-based diet has risen significantly. There are at least 600,000 vegans in the UK — although some sources put this figure nearer 2.7 million — while nearly 40 per cent of meat eaters say they’ve reduced the amount of meat they consume.

You can see this growing interest in vegetarianism and vegan diets all around us. From the explosion of dairy-free ‘milk’ alternatives on supermarket shelves to vegan options on menus – or even entirely vegan restaurants. What was once a more niche lifestyle choice is becoming increasingly mainstream.

For scientists, policymakers and economists, the idea of a vegan future is especially interesting – with one of the biggest drivers being the environment. Keep scrolling to get further information about vegan in https://thevegangarden.com/.

How does food affect greenhouse gases?

Your fridge might seem an unlikely setting for the fight against global warming, but did you know that food is responsible for a third of all manmade greenhouse gas emissions? What’s more, meat and dairy make up nearly 60 per cent of that carbon footprint.

The UN says that global farmed livestock accounts for roughly 11 per cent of all manmade greenhouse gas emissions (with methane from cows a surprisingly big culprit). But according to new research published in the journal Climate, if we all went vegan, the world’s food-related CO2 emissions may drop by 68 per cent within 15 years, The move, which the study’s authors admit is hypothetical, would also provide the cut in emissions needed to limit global warming to 2ºC.

However, going vegan is not the only way to reduce food-related greenhouse gasses. Regenerative farming improves soil health on a farm by diversifying the types of crops grown and integrating them with animals. For example, a farmer could graze cows or sheep on a field for one year, making use of their natural fertiliser while also giving the soil a rest.

The Soil Association says healthy soil can capture and store more carbon than degraded soil; around two tonnes more carbon in every football pitch-sized patch of farmland. The idea is gaining popularity – in 2021, the UK government announced plans to subsidise farmers up to £70 per hectare if they adopt regenerative agriculture techniques.

So, going vegan may be better for the planet but there are other ways to tackle carbon emissions and global warming that don’t mean cutting out meat and dairy.

What would happen if everyone went vegan?

Is a vegan diet healthy?

We know Western diets are linked to many health problems including heart disease, diabetes and obesity. In 2015, the World Health Organisation even categorised processed meat such as bacon as carcinogenic, along with asbestos, alcohol and arsenic. This might suggest that switching to a more plant-focused diet may be good for you as well as the planet.

An increasing amount of evidence shows the health benefits of eating more plant-focused foods, such as a reduced risk of dying from heart disease, fewer cases of type 2 diabetes and a lower risk of some cancers. A 2018 study by University of Oxford even concluded that switching to a plant-based diet could save up to eight million lives worldwide.

However, being vegan doesn’t necessarily mean you’re eating healthily. Some vegan products contain a lot of coconut oil, for example, which is high in saturated fat. The rise in vegan junk food, like burgers, ‘fish’ and chips, or sausage rolls, could also be fooling you into believing these foods are healthy. In fact, many are high in calories but lacking in essential nutrients, or are packed with salt and sugar.

Vegan diets may also miss out on vital vitamins and minerals, as they’re naturally low in calcium, vitamin D, iron, vitamin B12, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. If you are vegan, it’s important to eat plenty of plant proteins from beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, and soya versions of ‘milk’ and yogurt to help boost your intake of those nutrients.

Peanuts are also a good vegan source of protein, while other nuts and seeds can provide minerals such as zinc and selenium – cashews, pistachios, flaxseeds, chia or pumpkin seeds are particularly valuable. Quinoa and buckwheat are often called pseudo-grains but are in fact seeds; quinoa is especially useful for vegans because it contains all of the 9 essential amino acids that we need for growth and repair.

It’s easy to follow a balanced diet as a vegan but you need to be aware of what – and how much – you’re eating: good advice for omnivores and herbivores alike.

Can going vegan reduce food shortages?

Would a vegan future make food poverty history? If it’s about freeing up space and resources for growing food, there is some evidence to back this up.

A meat-eater’s diet requires 17 times more land, 14 times more water and 10 times more energy than a vegetarian’s, according to research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. This is principally because we use a large proportion of the world’s land for growing crops to feed livestock instead of humans – of the world’s approximately five billion hectares of agricultural land, 77 per cent is used for livestock.

This squeeze on resources is only set to intensify. In 50 years, the UN predicts there will be 10.5 billion people on the planet (the current world population is around 8 billion). To feed us all, we need to grow food more sustainably.

One of the counterarguments against this vegan solution is that some grazing land isn’t suitable for growing crops. That’s certainly true, but there’s actually a bigger problem with eradicating world hunger. Right now, we already produce enough calories to comfortably feed everyone on the planet, but more than 820 million people may still not get enough food.

In other words, having enough to eat is as much about politics and big business as it is about dietary choices, so there’s nothing to say that hunger would be a thing of the past in a vegan world.

Where would all the animals go?

If we no longer bred farm animals, what would happen? Would they become extinct? Would they overrun the planet?
Billions of farm animals would no longer be destined for our dinner plates and if we couldn’t return them to the wild, they might be slaughtered, abandoned, or taken care of in sanctuaries. Or, more realistically, farmers might slow down breeding as demand for meat falls.

Farm animals are bred far more intensively than they reproduce in the wild. As with all wildlife, any returned animal populations would fluctuate and eventually reach a balance, depending on predators and available resources in the wild.

It’s worth noting that not all livestock could simply ‘go free’. Some farm breeds, such as broiler chickens, are now so far removed from their ancestors that they couldn’t survive in the wild. Others, like pigs and sheep, could feasibly return to woodlands and grazing pastures, and find their own natural population levels.

On top of that, even if we stopped eating animals, our ongoing destruction of wild habitats would still reduce their numbers. As always with nature, it’s a question of balance.

6
Jul, 2023
Vegan on a budget

Vegan on a budget

Shopping for a balanced vegan diet doesn’t have to be any more expensive than shopping for a non-vegan diet. With our tips and your creativity, you may even find yourself saving money. Check our website https://thevegangarden.com/ ‘Vegan on a budget’ blog too, which includes ideas and recipes for living on a budget as well as how to help vegans who are struggling financially.

Vegan on a budget

Get creative

A majority of healthy vegan meals use the ingredients that you should already have in your cupboards and that most supermarkets offer as less expensive own-brand versions, including:

  • tinned beans and dried pulses of various kinds
  • vegetables (particularly seasonal ones)
  • potatoes
  • egg-free pasta and noodles
  • rice
  • bread (wholemeal is ideal from a health point of view)
  • dried herbs and spices
  • seasonal fruit
  • soya mince

These ingredients may not sound hugely exciting on their own but can be used to make a wide variety of dishes such as chillis, curries, stir fries, wraps or pasta dishes, so it’s possible to enjoy plenty of variety too.

Supermarket staples

Branded staples such as soya/nut milk and vegan-suitable margarine are similar in price to their dairy equivalents. However, supermarkets normally also offer their own brand plant-based milks, which are often cheaper than the own brand dairy equivalents.

Frozen veggie burgers, sausages and mince are often fairly inexpensive; particularly supermarket own-brand products (check the labels before buying though, as not all ‘veggie’ products are vegan and many contain egg).

Some supermarkets also offer dried veggie packet mixes (found near the seasonings and other dried pulses) for foods such as burgers and sausages, that you can happily experiment with. A packet of burger mix can be turned into ‘meatballs’ and tossed in tomato sauce to be eaten with spaghetti. Alternatively, a sausage packet mix can be rolled in some puff pastry (most cheap supermarket own-brands are vegan) and you can create vegan sausage rolls in no time. Perfect for snacking or picnics.

Check the ‘value’ products

Quite often products in low-budget supermarket ranges are vegan when their more expensive equivalents are not; for example, cheaper products that are made with vegetable oil or margarine when the more expensive ones use butter. Things like apple pies, garlic bread, dark chocolate and fruit crumble have been spotted as vegan ‘value’ versions in various supermarkets. If you take a minute to check the ingredients, you might be pleasantly surprised to find that it’s vegan.

‘Reduced’ produce

If you fancy cooking up a spontaneous meal, search your local shops for fruit and vegetable in the ‘reduced’ section and consider what you can make with them. You never know where your creativity will take you. If they’ve only been reduced by 20p or are still relatively expensive, then it might be worth giving them a miss, as you’d only be saving a small amount.

If you visit supermarkets and shops near closing time, you can often benefit from dramatically reduced prices on bakery and fresh produce. You can find anything from bargain bread buns to puff pastry and pots of houmous that are practically being giving away for pennies. Items such as pastry and bread can be put in the freezer and defrosted later to last the entire week.

Special occasions and deals

In many health stores you can find ‘specialist’ products such as vegan cheese or vegan meat equivalents, that are great if you’re craving such foods. Their costs may run a little higher than the supermarket own brands, but if you find them on offer (larger health stores such as Holland and Barrett offer some great deals), you can work them into a tighter budget.

Health-wise it’s better to view these as occasional additions to your diet rather than staple foods. This doesn’t mean a vegan diet is ‘expensive’ – if you based a non-vegan diet on expensive cheeses and cuts of meat, the costs would soon add up too!

Freeze and reheat

If you have access to a freezer, you can make up several portions of a curry, chilli or casserole with a big bag of supermarket ‘basics’ vegetables or potatoes – and freeze them. This is much cheaper than buying ready meals and is also convenient ie. just heat up a meal in the microwave if you don’t have time to cook.

Frozen vegetables can sometimes be cheaper than fresh – for example frozen peppers, broccoli or spinach – and taste just as good. They also keep for longer, meaning you don’t end up throwing any away.

Discovering cheap fruit and berries at local markets is great, but they may be nearing the end of their shelf-life. A quick and easy way to keep them fresh and edible is to wash, chop and freeze them. This means that they last a long time and are ready to be whizzed into smoothies whenever you want them. Also, if you find cheap bananas they can make a fantastic ice cream when frozen and blended.

Leftovers for lunch

If you can, make extra of your evening meal and use the remainder as a packed lunch the next day. It’s usually cheaper and more convenient than buying lunch when you’re out. Plus you’ll know it will taste good! If you get in to the habit of making extra and freezing it, you should have plenty of choice of what to eat the next day.

Explore new shops and markets

If you have shops near you specialising in food from other countries, go in and explore. You might find that some ingredients are cheaper there than in supermarkets. One example is tofu, which is normally a lot cheaper from Chinese supermarkets than from other shops. You can often find interesting noodles, cooking sauces and other ingredients too.

As we mentioned before, markets can be a good way of finding fresh produce for less than supermarket prices. If your local market has cheap vegetables on offer, try making them into a hearty, healthy soup and freezing it in portions.

Buy what you need

Food waste is a big problem in the UK and we can help combat that problem by only buying what we need. If you have spare fresh ingredients, see if it’s possible to freeze them for later. Some vegetables such as peppers and spinach or even tofu can be cooked up into spare portions of curry, chilli, soup or pasta sauce to be frozen and eaten another time.

Make a list and stick to it

We’re writing a list, we’re checking it twice! Lists are a good idea, particularly if you find yourself buying things that you don’t manage to eat in time, or if you get distracted and tend to impulse-buy products on your shopping trip.  If you plan your week’s meals, then write a list and only buy what’s on your list – and you’re less likely to overspend.

Don’t go food shopping when you’re hungry

You may have heard this before, but it’s true. It is much easier to resist non-essential food purchases when you’re not already hungry… after all, do you really NEED those vegan chocolate truffles?