Are you curious about a plant-based diet? Have you ever tried vegan food? Across the country, people are discovering the amazing health benefits of a plant-based diet. Our goal at Life Bistro Cafe is to make healthy, flavorsome vegan food that anyone can enjoy. So, come and visit us and satisfy your curiosity.
What is a Vegan Diet?
Vegan food is 100% plant-based. That is to say; it contains absolutely no animal or animal-derived products. In other words, all vegan food is:
- Meat-free
- Seafood-free
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free.
What’s more, vegan food is also free from meat derived products such as gelatin and products provided by animals like honey. You might think that this doesn’t leave much to work with, but you’ll be genuinely surprised at the variety on our menu!
Vegan Alternatives
Vegan food is an opportunity to let your creativity run wild. Not only can you make dishes that are exploding with colors and flavors, but you also get to experiment with new products and techniques. One of the biggest challenges in vegan food is recreating the mouth feel of meat. Meat has a particular texture, and this is what most people miss rather than the actual flavor of the meat. Fortunately, there are now some genuinely great meat alternatives on the market, so vegan cooking has become better than ever. Come in and try our impossible burger or Rasta pasta. Even the most ardent meat-eater would struggle to tell our plant-based dishes apart from their meaty cousins.
Here are some of the most common vegan alternatives to animal products:
- Acquafaba (Chickpea liquid) – egg white replacement
- Jack fruit – can be a substitute for pulled pork or chicken
- Tofu/Tempeh – soybean curd is a common plant-based protein used instead of meat.
- Vegan Cheese – is now available in almost as many varieties as real cheese.
- Vegan Milk – Soy, Almond, Rice and Oat milk can all be used instead of dairy milk.
- Cheat Meat – plant-based meats that look and taste like real meat. The impossible burger is the best example.
Vegan Health Benefits
A well-balanced vegan diet is extremely healthy. A Vegan diet consists of plenty of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, peas, nuts and seeds. As a result, it provides plenty of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
A plant-based diet naturally lowers your calorie intake so helps to maintain better body weight. Reducing your consumption of saturated fats also improves heart health, and a plant-based diet can even help manage type 2 diabetes and arthritis.
Plant-based for the Planet
Sustainability is another reason more, and more people are switching to a vegan lifestyle. As a global population, we are eating more meat than ever before. The demand for meat is driving land clearances to make way for cattle farms. Unfortunately for the plant much of this land is valuable rainforest. Meat production produces far more CO2 than plants. As we clear away more rainforest, we reduce the planet’s ability to deal with that CO2. Eating more plants and less meat eases the burden on the Earth and helps reduce CO2 emissions.
Famous Vegans
A plant-based or vegan diet is more mainstream than you think. Some of the most famous people on the planet have switched to a vegan lifestyle.
- Madonna
- Venus Williams
- Peter Dinklage
- Benedict Cumberpatch
- Zac Efron
- Beyonce
- Bill Clinton
- Ellie Goulding
- Arianne Grande
There are so many misconceptions around plant-based eating. One is the food tastes bland and is boring. Another is that plant-based meals are complex and challenging to prepare. Plant-based eating certainly doesn’t have to be that way. Just like any other diet, the food can be as simple or elaborate as your skills and time allow. There are plenty of ways to add flavor and interest to food without spending hours in the kitchen. Don’t believe us? Try these two simple recipes and see how delicious vegan food can be.
Chickpea Patties
- 2 x 400g cans chickpeas
- 2 Tbsps psyllium husks
- 4 Tbsps nutritional yeast
- 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 cup ramps, chopped
- 1 Onion, diced
- ⅓ cup black olives, sliced
- 5 Tbsps gram flour, polenta or breadcrumbs.
- 1 tsp paprika
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 Tbsp Tahiti, plus more for a sauce
Method
- Place chickpeas in a food processor and blend to form a thick paste.
- Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and mix in all remaining ingredients, except the oil. If the mixture is too wet, then add more flour.
- Form the mixture into patties using approximately 1 tbsp per patty.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan.
- Fry the patties in batches, roughly 2 mins per side until golden brown.
- Serve with a salad, pitta bread and some Tahiti sauce for dipping.
What’s life without a little sweetness? Try this delicious vegan dessert to satisfy your cravings.
Banana Berry Ice cream
Ingredients:
2-3 ripe bananas, cut into 1/2inch chunks and frozen
1 cup frozen berries (any berry or mix of berries will work)
Method:
Remove the bananas from the freezer and allow to soften for 5 mins. Place in a blender or food processor along with the berries and blend on high for 3-5 minutes. Keep an eye on the mixture as you blend. The ice cream is ready when it is a thick, smooth consistency. If you over-process, it will become runny.
We recommend eating the ice cream straight away to get the most from the velvety smooth texture. But you can freeze it for up to one month. Get creative and add toppings like nuts or cacao nibs. You can add vegan meringue to make an Eton mess.
About Life Bistro Cafe
Whether you are curious about vegan food or you’re a vegan looking for something new, Life Bistro Cafe offers a unique dining experience. Explore our menu and discover just how delicious plant-based food can be. Our menu combines international fusion cuisine and real American style comfort food.
Dining at Life Bistro is a holistic experience. We nourish your body, your mind and your soul with beautifully presented alkaline vegan food that is bursting with flavor and vitality.
Don’t just take our word for it; come and try it for yourself in person or order online now. We promise you won’t be disappointed!