Zero Food Waste

Food waste is a problem.

It is the third largest contributor to climate change, but with so many people going hungry it also feels like, well, such a waste. That is why we are proud that all our stores are now Zero Edible Food Waste.
Like lots of retailers we work hard to reduce the amount of food that goes to waste in the first place, but as we sell a large range of fresh foods and serve 10,000 meals a week in our cafes there is inevitably some.  To avoid it being thrown away, since 2017 we have been part of OLIO’s “Food Waste Heroes” programme.

At the end of every day we donate all our edible food to volunteers who redistribute it to the local community via OLIO, the food sharing revolution platform. It is a truly pioneering partnership and each month more than 5000 portions of perishable food now feed bellies in communities near all of our stores.  The rescued food helps many people affected by hunger and food poverty.

OLIO Food Waste Hero, Amran Ali, has been picking up food from our Devonshire Square and Islington stores for seven months:-
 
“Volunteering at OLIO has strengthened my understanding of what it means to give back to the community. Since I started saving food from Planet Organic, I have shared my collections with over 100 people in my local area. Struggling single parents, the elderly, the disabled, the hungry & vulnerable; have all benefited from the surplus food. I believe it's important to do what we can for others in need, and as a bonus we're helping the planet too.”

from Planet Organic Blog https://ift.tt/2tIHelZ
via How to Save Money When Buying Organic Foods

Tofu Burger Hoagie Roll

Beet Waffles with Raspberry Sauce

We got a new waffle maker for Valentine’s Day.  One that has ♥ heart shapes. This recipe makes very nice waffles. They were not as bright red as I thought they would be and the beet flavor is not really noticeable. However, the flavor combination with the raspberries made a lovely dessert and treat for Valentine’s Day.

Ingredients:

for the waffles:

• 1½ cups AP flour
• ¼ cup polenta or cornflour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 egg replacements
• ½ cup beet puree and juice
• 1½ cups almond milk
• 4 tablespoons margarine, melted
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon cardamom

for the raspberry sauce:

• 2 cups raspberries
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• garnished with non-dairy whipped topping

Directions:

1. To make the waffle batter:
   1. Peel a small red beet.
   2. Cut in small pieces cover with water and cook until soft.
   3. Add water as needed to insure that it does not burn. Once the beet is soft, puree it and allow to cool.
   4. When the beet and water/ juice have cooled puree to a smooth consistency.
   5. Combine the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
   6. Mix the egg replacements into a second medium-sized bowl and beat until frothy.
   7. Drizzle in the almond milk and pureed beet.
   8. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients, along with the melted margarine.
   9. Mix with decisive strokes from the bottom of the bowl, until all the dry ingredients have been moistened.
   10. If the batter is too thick add a bit more of the almond milk.
2. To make the berry sauce:
   1. Place the mixed berries in a saucepan.
   2. Add the water, sugar, cornstarch.
   3. Stir well to dissolve the cornstarch.
   4. Place on a low heat to simmer until the berries soften and the sauce thickens.
3. To make the waffles:
   1. Lightly spray the hot waffle iron on both the top and bottom surfaces with nonstick spray (depending on your waffle iron).
   2. Add just enough batter to cover the cooking surface-approximately ½ cup for a standard waffle (1 cup for a Belgian waffle).
   3. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on your waffle iron. Don’t over-bake- you want it crisp and brown but not too dark.
   4. Serve the waffles with the berry sauce on top and a small dollop of non dairy whipped topping.

Related Posts:

• Beet Dumplings (Knödel) with Vegan Cheese Sauce
• Vegan Apple, Walnut, Polenta Waffles
• Beet Leaf Pesto
• Eggplant Towers with Beet Hummus
• Beet Salad with Plums and Tofu Feta

from Vegalicious http://bit.ly/2GnbD1H
via Why You Should Consider Buying Organic Food

Review: Winter Slaw with Sprouted Lentils

We found this delicious salad at Beth Dunham’s blog. It only took a little bit of adapting to be vegan. We really enjoyed this salad. You will need to start a couple of days ahead to sprout your lentils but it is well worth doing as they add such a nice crunch to the salad.

We did follow the instructions, and only changed the dressing by using non-dairy yogurt instead of the sour cream and mayo. We did add a small splash of sesame oil to the soy-yogurt so as to bring out the Vitamin A in the carrots. She said that left-overs will keep a few days in the refrigerator, but there was no way we had any left overs.
Recipe: http://bethdunham.ca/updatesnews/2015/11/23/winter-slaw-with-sprouted-lentils

Related Posts:

• Super Slaw – Winter Coleslaw with Apples and…
• Beluga Lentils with Winter Squash, Parsnips and Tofu Feta
• Review: Middle-eastern Rice and Lentils with Harissa…
• Winter Squash Chili Sin Carne
• Winter Squash, Chickpea Tajine

from Vegalicious http://bit.ly/2HZZ3Hb
via Why You Should Consider Buying Organic Food

Beet Dumplings (Knödel) with Vegan Cheese Sauce

Knödel are a common favorite German meal. They are kind of like the stuffing used at Thanksgiving time, mixed with a bit of milk and egg to hold together, then cooked (boiled) and served with a sauce. As vegans we use non-dairy milk and chickpea flour as a substitute for the eggs. These are beet dumplings, there are other kinds but these are quite tasty indeed, and a great way to use old bread or the ends of the loaf.

Yield: 12-14 dumplings

Ingredients:

• 5-6 slices day-old bread
• 2-3 beets
• ½ cup non-dairy milk
• 3 spring onions
• 3 tablespoons chickpea flour
• salt and pepper to taste

for the vegan cheese sauce:

• 1 large carrot, sliced
• ¼-½ cup tofu cubes
• salt and pepper to taste
• splash chili sauce (optional)
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons mustard
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast

Directions:

1. Cut the bread into small cubes or process in a food processor.
2. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl.
3. Cut the spring onions in small pieces and add to the bread.
4. If you have a juicer, I would juice the beets, using the beet juice and pulp. Otherwise, cook the beets in water until they are soft, then puree.
5. Add the non-dairy milk, chickpea flour salt and pepper to the bread.
6. Mix well, I used a fork.
7. Allow the bread to soak up the liquid for half an hour.
8. After half an hour, test the mixture. It should be able to be rolled into golf ball sized balls.
9. If it is too moist, add 1 more tablespoon of chickpea flour and mix.
10. Using a serving spoon, take a generous amount of the beet mixture and form into golf ball sized balls.
11. Make about 12-14 balls.
12. To make the sauce: Peel the carrot and cut into small pieces.
13. Cook the carrot pieces in a small amount of water until they are soft.
14. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and puree to a smooth mixture.
15. Season to taste with more nutritional yeas, lemon juice, salt or pepper.
16. Traditionally knödel are boiled in lightly salted water, but often, vegan ones fall apart, so I have learned that they do well in a steamer. I have a traditional Asian bamboo steamer that fits onto my frying pan filled with water.
17. Steam the dumplings for 5 – 8 minutes.
18. Serve the dumplings with the cheese sauce, and perhaps garnished with a few mint or basil leaves.
19. These dumplings were nice as a lunch. They are often used as a side dish, or as a main meal, with mushroom sauce and red cabbage on the side.

Related Posts:

• Purple Potato Pancakes with Vegan Cheese Sauce
• Apple, Sauerkraut, & Vegan Cheese Quesadillas
• Vegan Spinach Gnudi dressed with Tomato Sauce
• Vegan Tortellini with Spicy Pumpkin Sauce, Ricotta…
• Gnocchi with Creamy Vegan Tomato Sauce, Turnip…

from Vegalicious http://bit.ly/2HK67HZ
via Why You Should Consider Buying Organic Food