This year, Earth Day , held every April 22 since 1970, is a good opportunity to remind ourselves that we can “fight climate change with diet change.” Some suggestions for how include eating less meat, buying local food, supporting organic ingredients, pushing for plant-based options and calculating your foodprint […]
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This year, Earth Day, held every April 22 since 1970, is a good opportunity to remind ourselves that we can “fight climate change with diet change.” Some suggestions for how include eating less meat, buying local food, supporting organic ingredients, pushing for plant-based options and calculating your foodprint. Many of these goals come together in our everyday cooking. These plant-forward recipes may not constitute a full-on diet change, but they do touch on most of the tactical points toward a climate-friendly diet and, even if undertaken for one meal or one day, can constitute a step toward shrinking your foodprint.
Black Bean and Mushroom Burgers make a bold statement in support of eating less meat. Smoked paprika or cumin lend a charred-like flavor to the vegetarian patty for extra umami. Served with your favorite fixings, it will feel as though you are eating a beef patty — and it may well taste that way too.
Along similar lines, Ecuadorian Ceviche Vegetariano, made with shiitake mushrooms, lupin beans, avocado and hearts of palm in a lime dressing is a refreshing bowlful of umami — especially when you add in the classic Ecuadorian accompaniments like plantain chips, yucca and popcorn. Aromatic Olives Al Forno would make a great accompaniment for both the ceviche and the burgers.
For a different take on salads, skip the bed of lettuce and try a colorful Red Rice Salad with Favas, Walnuts and Red Peppers. It tastes even better than it looks and is also loaded with texture. Sherry vinegar and freshly sliced fennel add vibrant flavor to complement the aromatics in an earthy Vegan Lentil and Fennel Salad. A dollop of biber salçası (Turkish red pepper paste) gives some heat to a pleasantly chewy Spicy Bulgur Salad — add a little or a lot, if you like it really hot.
Red Bean Pkhali (Georgian Red Bean and Walnut Paté) is a bit simpler than some versions that are made with beets or spinach rather than the beans, but the cilantro, coriander and fenugreek give it the quintessential flavors of Georgian cuisine. Served with crusty bread and/or fresh crudités, it makes a wonderful appetizer or main course.
If you are enjoying the current mushroom craze, you won’t want to skip King Oyster and Wood Ear Mushrooms with Cilantro Persillade. The dish highlights the contrast between the meaty king oyster mushrooms and the thin, crunchy wood ear mushrooms. Bright and tasty, it works well as a side or main dish.
Crumbly sable cookie dough serves as the base and the crumb topping for Vegan Berry Bars. Make them with strawberries (currently in season and just about at their peak) and they fit the bill for buying local as well as eating plant-based and supporting organic. This tasty, tangy dessert is sure to both satisfy your sweet tooth and reduce your foodprint, making for a super delicious way to do your part to save the planet.
