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EATING BY AVA ALBRACHT WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Eating plant-based is better for our growing population and can even be delicious.
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lot of the time when we hear a person is vegan or vegetarian, we automatically assume that they must just love animals so much or that they are on some sort of crazy diet like Freelee the banana girl. Up until a few years ago, I was mystified as to why anyone would ever want to sacrifice something so delectable as cheese, ice cream or steak, just for the sake of animals. However, there is a far larger argument for eating a plant-based diet besides the animals because, to be honest, there is no sum of money you could pay me to even get near a chicken, those birds are horrifying. To best understand why eating plant based is beneficial, we first need to understand why conserving water is important. According to the Institute of Physics, one third of the world’s population suffers from fresh water scarcity, and agriculture accounts for the usage of 90% of global freshwater consumption. With a growing population,
scientists have conjectured that by 2050 food production will have to double in order to meet the needs of the population. In the future it will be even more important to conserve our freshwater resources. Keeping this in mind, let’s compare tofu and beef, two calorie-dense, high-protein foods. It takes 302 gallons of water to produce one pound of tofu, whereas it requires anywhere between 2000 to 8000 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, according to studies conducted by UC Davis. If everyone were to reduce consumption of animal products, we would reduce our water consumption by at least half, according to UCLA Sustainability. Not only would we be able to feed more mouths in doing so, we would be able to preserve countless irreplaceable, beautiful habitats. Read ahead to learn about some local places to eat and recipes so that you can help preserve our Earth’s resources, too.
Photo | Pexels
Photo | Pexels
CASHEW CREAM TOMATO SAUCE
REESE’S BAKED OATS
From @faithsfresh on TikTok
From @faithsfresh on TikTok
This recipe is not only vegan, it is also delicious and foolproof. When compared to my mom’s tomato cream sauce, my family preferred this simple yet delicious recipe. I like to serve it with Banza chickpea pasta to give me some extra protein topped with lots of red pepper flakes. Trust me, if there is one vegan dinner recipe you need to incorporate into your weekly rotation, it is this one.
Another TikTok discovery, these are the best baked oats I have ever tasted, and I am an oatmeal fanatic. Whenever I am having a bad morning I turn to this recipe to cheer me up and set the tone for the rest of my day.
Makes 3-4 servings Ingredients: 1/2 cup soaked cashews* 1 16 oz. can of Tomato Sauce 1 Tbsp Olive Oil 1 Tbsp dried basil 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder 1 tsp salt Red pepper flakes to taste Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth Serve over pasta of choice and top with red pepper flakes, if desired. *This can be done by adding 1/2 cup of cashews to 1 cup of boiling water and letting it soak for 15 minutes. Don’t forget to remove excess water.
18 // LeJournal
Ingredients: 1/2 cup oats 1/2 banana 1 Tbsp maple syrup 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 Tbsp cocoa powder 1/2 cup almond milk 1 spoonful of peanut butter Dairy-free chocolate chips to taste 1. Combine oats, banana, almond milk, baking powder, maple syrup and cocoa powder in a blender. Blend until mainly smooth. 2. Pour blender mixture into an oven safe container such as a ramekin. Top with chocolate chips and peanut butter. 3. Bake in the oven at 400° F for 35-40 minutes or microwave for 2 minutes and 30 seconds on high.
