January's Coolest Challenge: Veganuary – With Two Trendy Recipes

What exactly is Veganuary?

The initiative was launched by the British nonprofit organization Veganuary in 2014 with the goal of drawing attention to the benefits of a vegan diet for as many people as possible. During the 31-day challenge held every year since then, participants are supported in learning how to eat varied and delicious meals while avoiding all animal-derived products. While the first campaign in 2014 had "only" 10,000 registered participants, by the 2021 campaign more than half a million people from all over the world took part.

The vegan diet from a sustainability perspective

Producing one kilogram of meat can require as much as 100,000 liters of water, while the same amount of wheat requires only 1,000 liters. We use 70 percent of agricultural land as pasture for livestock, while only two percent goes to fruits. Alternative diets like vegan and vegetarian face many disagreements. But is it worth being vegan if our primary goal is to protect our environment?

28 percent of land suitable for agriculture is used to grow animal feed, 69 percent as pasture, and only 3 percent for fruits and nuts. These statistics also show that we dedicate much of our natural resources, such as land and water, to producing animal-derived foods. Not to mention the fuel and electricity consumption from slaughterhouses and multi-stage transportation.

Naturally, a person following a vegan lifestyle also has an ecological footprint, but if we think about how much less energy, water, and fuel are needed for a plant-based meal compared to a meat-based one, we get a significantly lower value. So by adopting a vegan lifestyle, even just during the Veganuary challenge, we're genuinely contributing to the protection of our environment, not to mention the ethical benefits of reducing animal farming and consumption.

Did you know that at Munch you can save tons of vegan munches from many partners? Here are some examples!

Veganuary recipes - Curried lentil soup

If you haven't cooked all those lentils you bought for the new year yet, or if you're tired of traditional lentil dishes, you won't go wrong with this Veganuary recipe. Plus, you'll be doing good for the environment. By the way, in our previous article we featured three amazing soups that can warm you up during the cold months.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 3 plump cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 2 medium carrots (about 200g)
• 2 medium potatoes (about 300g)
• 200g dried red lentils (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can diced tomatoes or 400g fresh tomatoes, diced
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes (to taste, can be adjusted or omitted)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh parsley
• optional for serving: pita bread

1. Dice the onion finely, and cut the carrots and potatoes into cubes.
2. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat, and begin sautéing the onion with a large pinch of salt.
3. After about 6-7 minutes, reduce the heat to low, stir in the garlic and all the spices, sauté continuously for about a minute, then add two tablespoons of tomato paste and sauté for another minute.
4. Add the diced carrots and potatoes to the pot, toss with the spices, then add the thoroughly rinsed lentils, the diced tomatoes, salt, and about 1 liter of water.
5. Increase the heat to high, and once it comes to a boil, reduce to medium-low and cook for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until done.
6. The soup is best when thick, but if it's too thick for you, you can add more water and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
7. Once done, turn off the heat and stir in one tablespoon of lemon juice and 2-3 tablespoons of fresh parsley.
8. Serve on its own or with warm pita bread.

Veganuary recipes - Sweet and sour cauliflower bites

Ingredients:

For 25-30 bites

• 1 medium head of cauliflower
• 1 cup wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup unsweetened plant milk
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons agave syrup
• 5 tablespoons ketchup or sweet chili sauce
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 oranges, juiced
• 5 tablespoons white wine vinegar or rice vinegar (10% food vinegar works if you don't have these)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• optional: sesame seeds and scallions for serving

1. Wash the cauliflower thoroughly, then cut it into florets of your desired size. (About the size of breaded cauliflower pieces, or slightly smaller is recommended.) Preheat your oven to 220°C.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together one cup of wheat flour, four tablespoons of cornstarch, one teaspoon of garlic powder, and half a teaspoon of salt. While whisking continuously, slowly add one cup of plant milk and one tablespoon of olive oil, and whisk until smooth and lump-free.
3. Place the cauliflower in a bowl large enough to toss it in, pour the flour mixture over it, and toss thoroughly to coat.
4. Pour the panko breadcrumbs into a wide plate, and roll the cauliflower florets in them. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet so they don't touch each other, and once the oven is fully preheated, bake for 20 minutes.
5. While the cauliflower bakes, prepare the sweet and sour sauce: place two tablespoons of cornstarch in a glass and whisk in the juice of two oranges until smooth. Transfer this to a high-sided pan and stir in the soy sauce, agave syrup, ketchup or sweet chili sauce, minced garlic, and white wine or rice vinegar. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for about two minutes more.
6. When the cauliflower is done, remove from the oven and thoroughly toss the florets in the still-warm sweet and sour sauce. Reduce the oven temperature to 200°C and bake for another 6-7 minutes, making sure there's enough space between the florets. Serve topped with white or black sesame seeds and scallions if desired.