Farm to table: The grass could be greener on the vegan side

The concept of “eating closer to nature”, as chef Raveena Taurani puts it, first made sense to her in 2015 when she signed up for a seven-week yoga retreat in Goa. While there, she observed that consuming a regular plant-based diet resulted in significant, positive changes. She says, “I had never felt so energetic in my life. I slept better and saw improvements in my vision, hair and digestive system. I knew there was no going back.” This prompted Taurani to pursue various vegan and plant-based food certifications in Bali, California and England over the coming years and today being vegan is more than a trending lifestyle choice to her. Between pursuing each of these courses, she began to experiment with recipes as well as ideas towards establishing her own space to practice and educate.

Last year, she launched Yogisattva in Mumbai, a whole foods plant-based culinary academy, combined with a yoga studio and retail store. Yogisattva also hosts farm-to-table Sunday brunches with gourmet food made from natural and chemical-free ingredients. “The goal is to empower people with the knowledge of how to eat clean yet flavourful, nutrient-dense, unprocessed food,” she says. We asked her for simple ways to make the transition:

How does going green in our diet help?
“[It helps us] to be healthy, to feel good about ourselves and to function at our maximum potential. People need to change their mindset about eating packaged foods with processed ingredients. Instead of questioning why healthy food is so expensive, ask why fast food is so cheap.”

What other small things can we do to have an eco-conscious lifestyle?
“Be more mindful and responsible towards the environment. For starters, carry your own bags for grocery shopping, carry a drinking water bottle instead of buying packaged water. Reducing wastage and recycling helps achieve a more conscious lifestyle. When it comes to food, buying produce directly from farmers or even growing your own is one step towards that journey. Reduce the number of times you eat out and instead, carry home-cooked meals. Planning and prepping for meals goes a long way; you are less likely to be tempted to cheat that way.”

1. Vegan Protein Power Salad

Ingredients
For the salad:
-    1 cup cooked quinoa
-    1¼ cup cooked chickpeas
-    1½ cup finely chopped kale
-    3 medium carrots, julienned and chopped into bite-sized pieces
-    2 pieces finely chopped spring onions
-    1 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
-    1 tbsp sundried tomatoes, rinsed from oil and finely chopped after soaking in hot water

For the dressing:
-    60 ml red wine vinegar
-    2 tsp Dijon mustard
-    1 large clove garlic, minced
-    60 ml extra virgin olive oil
-    ¼ tsp sea salt
-    Freshly ground black pepper
-    1 tsp coconut sugar
-    Zest of 1 lemon

2. No-Cheese Pumpkin Risotto

Ingredients
For the ‘no cheese’ sauce:
-    2 cups chopped pumpkin (in cubes)
-    2 cups pumpkin puree (made fresh from pressure cooking
     pumpkin and then blending until soft)
-    1 tbsp coconut oil
-    2 cloves garlic
-    2 tbsp cassava flour
-    1¼ cup unsweetened plain almond milk
-    ½ tsp sea salt
-    2-3 tbsp chopped sage or thyme (if using dry herbs, take half the quantity)
-    4-5 tbsp nutritional yeast
-    ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
-    ¼ tsp red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper (optional)
-    1 cup cooked brown rice
 

3. Vegan Nutella

Ingredients
-    1 cup hazelnuts, soaked for 6-8 hours
-    ½ cup cashews, soaked for 2 hours
-    ¾ cup coconut sugar
-    1/3 cup coconut oil
-    3 tbsp cacao powder
-    ½ tsp vanilla powder
-    2-3 tbsp tepid water
-    ¼ tsp Himalayan salt