100% Plant Based Luv

We’re all curious…

                           it’s human nature.

So when the urban dictionary returned more than 150 slang words for vegan I was in, (it could also have had something to do with the fact that a large number of the definitions we’re too explicit to be listed, this had me slightly more intrigued)!

But crude jokes aside veganism or a form of it is everywhere, or at least it seems that way…

• Ethical 20 somethings,
• Health Conscious 40 somethings
• Celebrities like Woody Harrelson and Paul McCartney
• Sports stars like tennis great Venus Williams, Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton and American Ultra runner Scott Jurek.

 And

•  Neflix Docs like “What the Health”

With this much social proof and my six year old asking if we’re really going to have cows milk on our cereal (you know its just mucus mum), I thought it was time to try and swap out some of the old favourites for plant based meals.

But what was all the fuss about?

Why are people turning to a plant based diet?

It seems like there are lots of reasons...

• Being Healthier – vegans are less likely to develop heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
• Reducing your Environmental Impact – meat production has a huge impact on the environment including water consumption, grain production and a massive output of methane gas.
• Enhanced performance – vegans tend to have more energy than meat eaters giving them the perfect edge over other athletes.
• Animal welfare
• Losing Weight - vegans are on average 10kg lighter than meat eaters

So to kick of a more plant based diet, here is a creamy cauliflower sauce that will have the most carnivores coming back for more. It's perfect over pasta, or as a dipping sauce with veggie paddies. 

Creamy Cauliflower Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 leek
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 heads cauliflower
• 3 cups water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parsley to serve

Method

1. Heat pan and add olive oil. Add leek and garlic to the pan and sauté until they are tender - approximately 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. Add water to a large pot. Bring to a boil, then add cauliflower to the pot. Cook, uncovered for 10 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender. Transfer cauliflower to a blender with a slotted spoon - be sure to reserve the cooking liquid.
3. Add garlic/shallot mixture, non-dairy milk and 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid to the blender. Blend on high until smooth - working in batches if needed.
4. Pour sauce into a skillet and season with salt & pepper. If the sauce is too thick, add additional cooking liquid.
5. Serve over pasta and garnish with parsley.

Enjoy! Post your creations on social and share them with us #yfc&me.