Lucky Peach - The Vegan Issue by Ellie Gerrard

THE VEGAN ISSUE

SUMMER 2018

A QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF FOOD VS. WRITING

THE

vegan ISSUE LUCKY PEACH

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THE VEGAN ISSUE

THE VEGAN ISSUE Why go vegan? 6 Environmental reasons 8 Animals 10 Health Benefits 12 Interview

Vegan Recipes Sweet Potato Gnocchi 18 Vegan burger 20

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ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: ELLIE GERRARD

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note

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THE VEGAN ISSUE

ucky Peach is a quarterly journal of food and writing and is for curious and open-minded,

young and engaged, food obsessives who not only dine out frequently but cook regularly too. The combination of awardwinning food storytelling and ground breaking

design

have

attracted

audience that knows and seeks quality not only in the food and media they consume, but also where they travel, shop, and seek entertainment. This is the vegan issue of lucky peach, focussing on all things vegan, from the stigma attached to this lifestyle choice, to people being educated on the benefits of becoming vegan.

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WHY GO ? VEGAN? ? V

eganism... is it a trend or here to stay? What is with the stigma attached to being vegan? How hard is it to become vegan for meat lovers? Can you have a healthy sustainable diet when becoming vegan?

or the majority of the population,

portraying veganism in a negative

when someone says they are

light. Another major reason people

vegan our immediate thoughts

are often hostile to vegans is

run through the many social media

because of a perceived superior

posts our eyes have been forced upon

factor. The mainstream feels judged

by many vegans that try to guilt those

by moralistic minorities and this

around them for eating meat. They

causes backlash. Today, around half

include posts of pictures and videos of

a million people in Britain consider

animals trapped in tiny cages, or being

themselves vegan. Nevertheless,

slaughtered, and these controversial

they get a lot of hostility for it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;How

images are ingrained into our minds,

do you know someone is a vegan?

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THE THE VEGAN VEGAN ISSUE ISSUE

? Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll tell youâ&#x20AC;?, is one of the

different reasons, whether it be

many comments made towards

environmental, animal welfare or for

vegans and is considered a socially

other personal reasons.

acceptable target for ridicule. There

The vegan diet is often considered

is a definite stigma that comes

to be very restrictive, which raises

with being vegan, many promote

concerns over the health of this

this

somewhat

diet and people questioning its

controversial manner and many

purpose and proposed benefits.

do not. However, is this the right

Critics even disparage its existence,

way of addressing these problems

perhaps due to a lack of knowledge

effectively, with the use of offensive

about the diet. There are numerous

imagery? Or should the public be

compelling

more educated on the benefits of

environmental reasons for moving

adopting a vegan lifestyle?

towards adopting a vegan diet and

lifestyle

health,

ethical

and

The vegan diet has gained

more people are beginning to pay

momentum and popularity in the

attention. The stigmas around vegan

past few years, and has become

diets and people that follow them

a huge trend in the western world.

are also slowly being dismantled.

More people are transitioning to the diet and lifestyle due to various

It may not be long before the days of vegan mockery are over... LP

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ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: ELLIE GERRARD

THE VEGAN ISSUE

ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS

ne of the most effective things people can do to lower their carbon

footprint is to avoid all animal

is a significant contributor to

products.

production

deforestation, habitat loss and

of meat and other animal

species extinction. Livestock

products

accounts for more than 14%

The places

heavy

problem on the environment,

global

greenhouse

with crops and water required

emissions

to feed the animals, the

adoption of a vegan diet could

transport involved and other

cut this hugely. Considerably

processes that get our food

lower quantities of crops and

from farms to our plates. The

water are required to sustain a

vast amount of grain feed

vegan diet and this is one of the

required for meat production

most effective ways to reduce

and

gas

widespread

the impact on the environment. LP

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HEALTH BENEFITS

ore and more people are

minerals. The plant-based sources of these

turning to a vegan diet for

nutrients are usually low in saturated fat,

the health benefits including

high in fibre and antioxidants, helping lessen

increased energy and younger looking

some of the modern worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest health

skin. There are many scientifically proven

issues such as obesity, heart disease, and

benefits to vegan living when compared

diabetes.Many people grow up thinking

to the average western diet. Well planned

that animal products such as meat and

plant-based diets are rich in protein, iron,

milk are essential parts of a healthy diet,

calcium and other essential vitamins and

however, well planned vegan diets follow

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THE VEGAN ISSUE

healthy eating guidelines, and contain all

diet requires only one third of the land

the nutrients that our bodies need. Going

needed to support a meat and dairy diet.

vegan can help people to learn more about

With rising global food and water insecurity,

nutrition and cooking, and improving their

due to environmental and socio-economic

diet, without consuming saturated fat

problems, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never been a better time

from meat, milk and eggs, and avoiding

to adopt a more sustainable way of living.

processed meat. Therefore, adopting a

Avoiding animal products is not just one of

vegan diet can be a healthy way of eating.

the simplest ways somoene can reduce the

Veganism is a very sustainable option when

strain on food as well as other resources,

it comes to looking after our planet, plant-

itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a simple way to take a stand against

based living is also a more sustainable way

inefficient food systems which affects the

of feeding the entire family. A plant-based

poorest people all over the world. LP

ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: ELLIE GERRARD

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THE VEGAN ISSUE

ANIMALS

ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: ELLIE GERRARD

reventing the exploitation

The suffering caused by the dairy

of animals is not the only

and egg industry is possibly

reason

becoming

less well publicised than that

vegan, but for many it is one of

of factory farmed animals. The

the key factors in many peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

production of dairy products

decision to go vegan. Having

requires the death of countless

emotional

with

male calves that are of no use

animals may form part of that

to the dairy farmer, as well as

reason, while many believe that

the premature death of cows

all creatures have a right to life

slaughtered when their milk

and freedom. Avoiding animal

production decreases. Similarly,

products is one of the most

in the egg industry, even free

obvious ways you can take a

range eggs involve the killing of

stand against animal cruelty and

the unnecessary male chicks

animal exploitation everywhere.

when they are just a day old. LP

for

attachments

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INTERVIEW

ebecca wren has been vegan for three years, and committed to this lifestyle after wanting to reduce her impact on the environment. She creates her own meals from scratch, and believes being vegan has led her to being healthier than ever. When did you realise you wanted to be

lovers, would understand that you don’t need

vegan? I realised I wanted to be vegan around

to have meat in every meal. It’s healthy to be

two years ago, I first went vegetarian and then

vegan and you don’t need a giant amount of

I became interested in the idea of being vegan,

protein on your plate. Season all the important

so I did some research and found out that would

and nutrient-rich foods on your plate as you

reduce my impact in the environment.

would season and cook your meat.

is there a stigma that comes with being

There is a lot of concern that vegans

vegan? Have there been times when it

often do not get enough nutrients or

was difficult for you to explain it to

protein because of all the foods they

someone because they were so against

exclude from their diets, and there

Yes, on many occasions and it makes me

are obviously studies for and against

upset that people can just turn their nose up right

this. Based on personal experience, do

in front of you or pull a face. It’s only something

you feel it is easy to keep yourself on

I choose to do because I’m passionate about

track health-wise more so as a vegan?

nature and the environment.

When I turned vegan, my intake of nutrients

it?

For

people

who

want

educate

themselves on how vegans adjust their lifestyle, what is the one thing you wish people would know about being vegan? I

increased so much. I was deficient in iron and felt quite out of it before turning vegetarian, and now I’m not. I feel great and full of energy and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.

wish that meat-lovers, many of whom are animal-

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Another concern about being vegan

how tasty it is. Go to a vegan cafe for a

is that you spend much more on food

treat and buy a ‘cheeseburger’ and a fudge

than you do if you buy animal-based

‘chocolate’ brownie. The best thing about

products. Do you think this is true or

being vegan is that the food will probably

do you think it’s possible to be vegan

feel lighter in your stomach and you won’t

on a budget? Being vegan is cheaper. The

be stuffed afterwards.

products that I buy from a weekly food shop are vegetables, tinned foods, wholefoods, vegan cheese and vegan milk, plus the other essentials. Buying meat will add [more expense] to this list.

Finally, what is your advice for those people that may want to become vegan? Try it out! Cook from scratch and visit the Vegan Society website. Search your favourite food and then the word ‘vegan’ before it in Google

What is your go-to meal that you think

and there will most likely be a recipe for it. Also

even people who aren’t 100% vegan

get educated on your local vegan cafes and

should try out if they are looking

takeaways and there are many vegan events

to go vegan? Probably something really

around the country that you can attend. LP

‘meaty’ and ‘cheesy’ to show someone

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RECIPES

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SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI • 3 sweet potatoes

• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

• 2 cups whole wheat flour, plus extra for dusting

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed • 2 teaspoons salt • 1 cup of fresh basil leaves • 1 cup pine nuts

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice • 2 tablespoon olive oil • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Boil the sweet potatoes for 35 minutes, or until tender. Drain them and pull the skins off whilst still hot. Mash them until smooth with a potato masher and then allow to cool. 2. Make a flax egg by combining 1 tablespoon ground flax seed with 3 tablespoons warm water and set aside to thicken. 3. Then to make pesto add the pine nuts to a blender for 1 min. Add the basil and blend until incorporated. Add remaining ingredients and process until the mixture is smooth. 4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and reduce heat until it gently boils. 5. Once sweet potato is cooled, sprinkle with the flour and salt. Make a well in the c e n t r e and pour in the flax egg. Using your hands, start to mix the sweet potato, flour, and flax egg until a dough starts to form. 6. Knead the dough, using extra flour to sprinkle the dough and the work surface if dough is too sticky. You want a smooth mound of dough, but it shouldn’t be too springy or elastic. 7. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll each portion into a long rope that is a little less than an inch thick. 8. Cut each rope into half-inch pieces. Use a fork to lightly press down on a piece of dough and roll it towards you, creating a ridged pattern on each. 9. Transfer the gnocchi to the pot of gently boiling water, stirring once to ensure none of the pasta sticks to the bottom. After about 2 minutes, the gnocchi will float to the top when it has finished cooking. 10. Stir the pesto into the gnocchi and serve with a garnish of red pepper flakes.

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VEGAN BURGERS • 2 cups mashed sweet potato

• 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

• 1 cup cooked salted black beans, rinsed and well drained

• Sliced avocado

• 1 - 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice or quinoa

• Tomato • Lettuce

• 1/2 cup pecans finely chopped

• Sliced onion

• 1/2 cup finely diced green onion

• Brown sugar

• 2 1/2 tsp ground cumin

• Balsamic vinegar

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• Olive oil

1. Boil the sweet potatoes for about 35 minutes until soft and then set aside 2. While potatoes are baking, cook rice or quinoa. 3. Add black beans to a mixing bowl and mash half of them for texture. Then add sweet potato and lightly mash, then 1 cup rice, green onion, pecans and spices. Mix to combine. Add more rice or pecans if the mixture feels too wet. It should be very moist but mouldable. 4. Mould the sweet potato mixture on to a baking tray ready to cook, making sure they aren’t too thick 5. Bake burgers for a total 30-45 minutes, flipping 20 mins in to ensure even cooking 6. Toast bun and serve with garnishes

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ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: ELLIE GERRARD

THE VEGAN ISSUE

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