Photo: [LINK]
Choosing a better diet is always a good idea, whether it stems from a need to prevent certain types of lifestyle diseases or if you just want to make health a priority in life. But among the many dietary lifestyles available to us, we’re shining the spotlight on one of the most popular diets in the world – veganism.
November is the perfect month to feature this popular dietary lifestyle given the fact that it’s the International World Vegan Month! To start, veganism is a diet in which people do not include any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish, and any animal byproducts in their diet. [1] This sets them immediately apart from vegetarians, who are able to eat some animal byproducts depending on which vegetarian category they fall under.
If you want to try a full course vegan meal, we’ve got just the course for you. And, if you’re already a vegan reading this, you can treat yourself to a fun, homemade, full-course vegan dinner!
Bon Appétit!
Appetiser: Feta Bruschetta with Tomatoes [2]
Photo: [LINK]
Start off your vegan full-course meal with this wonderfully light appetiser. The sweet tanginess of the sun-dried tomatoes coupled with the subtle saltiness of feta cheese is hard to resist – even to a non-vegan!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- ¼ cup Borges Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 10 slices baguette (1 inch thick)
- 1 package feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp minced fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). In a small bowl, combine butter and Borges Extra Virgin Olive Oil; brush onto both sides of bread. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned on top.
- Combine the feta cheese, garlic and basil; sprinkle over toast. Top with tomato. Bake 8-10 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve warm.
Soup: Vegan Carrot Soup [3]
Photo: [LINK]
If you would rather prefer soups for your appetiser, try this delicious and easy-to-make Vegan Carrot Soup. All you need is the veggies and your trusty blender to put this simply sublime soup together. As a bonus, if you want to splurge a little bit, you can have some bruschetta and turn the soup into a dip!
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 tbsp Borges Classic Olive Oil
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 pound carrots, sliced
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- Fresh cilantro leaves, optional
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, sauté onion and celery in Borges Classic Olive Oil until tender. Add the broth, carrots, and potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat; cool slightly.
- Transfer to a blender; cover and process until blended. Return to pan; stir in salt and pepper. Heat through. If desired, sprinkle with cilantro.
Main Course: Caponatta Alla Siciliana [4]
Photo: [LINK]
This Sicilian dish is basically a stew made with eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, celery, and olives. The locals of Sicily refer to it as a sweet and sour stew and it is known to be part of their usual weekend menu. The good thing about this recipe is it allows you to practically use whatever vegetable you have available in your pantry, and since it is a stew, it still tastes just as good even when you leave it in the fridge.
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp Borges Classic Olive Oil
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 large eggplants, washed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1 red pepper, washed and chopped
- 1 yellow pepper, washed and chopped
- 2 celery sticks, washed and chopped
- Borges Sliced Green Olives
- 1 tbsp salted capers, drained
- 1 tbsp raisins
- 500 ml (2 cups) passata
- 1 tbsp Borges Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
Instructions
- Fry the onion in a large saucepan until softened.
- Add the eggplants, peppers, celery, and garlic; gently cook for about 10 minutes until softened.
- Add the olives, capers, raisins, passata, vinegar, and sugar. Mix well and cover, leaving to cook on a gentle heat for 30 minutes.
- Stir in the pine nuts. Serve hot with pasta or cold with crusty bread.
Dessert: Almond Milk Pudding [5]
Photo: [LINK]
Here’s a delicious, healthy dessert that you can make ahead of time. Top it with your favourite type of berry and some chocolate chips to make it look more appealing and for added flavour.
Ingredients
- 3 cups Borges Natura Almond Drink, divided
- 1/3 cuparrowroot starch
- 1 ripe banana
- 1/2 cuppure maple syrup
- 1/3 cupcocoa powder
- 1/2 tspsalt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of Borges Almond Milk and 1/3 cup arrowroot starch. Set aside.
- In a blender, combine the remaining 2 1/2 cups of Borges Almond Milk along with the banana, maple syrup, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Transfer the blender mixture to a medium saucepan. Cover the pan and heat the mixture over medium heat. When the mixture begins to bubble, remove the cover and slowly add the arrowroot mixture to the pan and whisk. Heat for an additional 3 minutes (uncovered), whisking constantly, until slightly thickened. The mixture should stick to the back of a wooden spoon.
- Transfer the pudding to a glass container (or similar). Let it cool for a few minutes, then cover and refrigerate for several hours to thicken.
With this humble collection of vegan goods, we hope you would take up the challenge to eat healthier meals starting today. You may begin with having only one vegan meal in a day, then take it up a notch to having only vegan meals for one whole day in a week, until you’re able to eat mostly vegan meals the whole week. If you happen to be a vegan already, don’t forget to try some of these dishes to spruce up your diet!
References:
[1] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vegan-vs-vegetarian#vegetarian-diet
[2] https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/feta-bruschetta/
[3] https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/vegan-carrot-soup/
[4] https://www.greedygourmet.com/recipes-for-diets/vegan/caponata-alla-siciliana/
[5] https://realfoodrealdeals.com/almond-milk-pudding-chocolate/