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Filling Salad Recipe: This is Also Suitable as a Main Course

A large salad is a good quick main course, especially in summer. Here you will find a vegan recipe for a filling salad.

You’re hungry, but you need it fast? You can make a delicious, filling salad in just fifteen minutes, and with the right ingredients in the recipe, it also doubles as a main course.

For a main dish, add both protein and carbohydrates to the salad recipe. Our recipe includes tempeh for a protein source and soba noodles—Japanese gluten-free noodles made from buckwheat—for healthy carbs. You can buy soba noodles at most health food stores or Asian grocery stores.

When buying the ingredients for the main course salad recipe, make sure that they are organic if possible. You are supporting ecologically more sustainable agriculture that treats the earth’s natural resources with care and, for example, does not use chemical-synthetic pesticides. The organic seals from Demeter, Bioland and Naturland are particularly recommended, as they require stricter criteria than the EU organic seal. Also prefer regional and seasonal foods.

Main Course Salad: A simple recipe

Ingredients:

200 g romaine lettuce
2carrots
100 gcucumber
100 g soba noodles
100 g tempeh
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon horn syrup
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp mustard
Salt

Directions:

First wash the lettuce, cucumber and carrots thoroughly. Then cut the lettuce and cucumber into bite-sized pieces. Finely grate the carrots. Put everything in a medium-sized bowl. Then cut the tempeh into small cubes.
Put enough water in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium, add the soba noodles and cook for no more than 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Rinse them under cold water and drain them in a colander.
Meanwhile, heat the coconut oil in a pan. Add the tempeh and mix with the soy sauce. Fry it on high for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Place the olive oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and mustard in a small, clean jar. Shake until the ingredients combine to form a smooth dressing.
Salt the soba noodles. Then toss them with the salad, fried tempeh, and dressing. Your filling salad main course is ready!

Main course salad recipe: possible variations

You can easily adapt this salad recipe as a main course. For example, use tofu or pre-cooked mung beans instead of tempeh, or substitute pre-cooked rice or healthy buckwheat for soba noodles.

You can also vary the vegetables depending on the season. Radicchio, lamb’s lettuce, baby spinach, kale, tomatoes or peppers also go well with our main course salad. You can find out more about seasonal vegetables and fruit in our seasonal calendar.

Special tip: For even more healthy nutrients in the recipe, you can grow sprouts and add them to the salad main course.

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Olive Oil Lifehack: You Should Definitely Know This When Buying

The quality of olive oil depends largely on a very specific factor. With our life hack you do everything right when buying olive oil.

Olive oil is not just olive oil. The quality of the popular edible oil depends on various criteria. In another article, we have summarized ten tips for you on how to recognize good olive oil.

In general, we recommend looking for organic quality when buying olive oil. You can be sure that the oil is not contaminated with chemical-synthetic pesticides. In addition, by consuming organic products, you support ecologically sustainable agriculture that treats the earth’s natural resources with care. The organic seals from Demeter, Bioland, and Naturland are particularly recommended, as they stipulate stricter criteria than the EU organic seal.

Additionally, you can recognize the quality of olive oil with the following simple method.

Olive Oil Lifehack: How to recognize good quality

This life hack is very simple: you can already tell from the packaging when you go shopping whether an olive oil is of high or inferior quality.

Simply note the following information:

Olive oil in a clear glass or plastic bottle is a no go. This has to do with the fact that vegetable oils are very sensitive to light, heat and air. These environmental influences very quickly trigger an oxidation process in the olive oil. The result: Rancid olive oil with drastically reduced levels of healthy nutrients such as antioxidants and polyphenols.
The quality of olive oil suffers even more in plastic bottles – whether they are dark or transparent. This is because the chemicals in the plastic, such as plasticizers, migrate into the oil over time. This not only changes its taste, but is also potentially harmful to health, according to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment.
Olive oil in metal packaging should also be consumed with caution. According to consumer advice centers, metals can become detached here over time, migrate into the oil and impair its quality. In addition, metal packaging is often coated with the plastic bisphenol A, which can also be released into the oil and is even potentially harmful.

Olive Oil Lifehack: Conclusion

You should definitely avoid packaging made of plastic, metal or clear glass when buying olive oil.

According to a study, dark bottles made of green or amber glass are the most suitable containers for olive oil. If you then at least pay attention to the organic seal and the addition “extra virgin”, you can be pretty sure that the olive oil in your shopping basket is of good quality.

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Eating Fish: You Should Definitely Pay Attention to This

Eating fish regularly is a matter of course for many people. But there are a few things that you should urgently pay attention to: from avoiding overfished species to pollution and aqualtur – we’ll explain what you need to know.

Eating fish is considered healthy and many find fish fingers, fish fillets or smoked fish delicious. However, when we look for information on the origin of fish on the Internet, the pleasure is quickly over: many species are overfished, there are repeated reports of pollutants in fish, aquaculture is not a good alternative and the seals can hardly be relied on. Should we therefore give up fish altogether? In fact, there are many good reasons to eliminate fish and other seafood from our diet.

If you still want to continue eating fish, you should at least keep a few things in mind. In the following you will get an overview.

Eating sustainable fish – without overfishing

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), almost 35 percent of the world’s fish stocks are now overfished. Around 60 percent are already being used to the maximum, so more is not possible without also being overfished. The fish guide from the WWF and the new fish guide from the consumer advice centers will tell you which species can still be fished sustainably in which fishing areas. Unfortunately, Greenpeace’s fish guide, which has long been considered particularly strict, has not been reissued in recent years.

In the last published version in 2016, only carp was recommended without reservation. The WWF and consumer advice centers take a similar view today: Here, too, carp from European aquaculture has a green rating.

According to the WWF, you can eat some other types of fish if they were fished in certain fishing areas (FAO) and/or with certain fishing methods. For example:

Arctic sea shrimp from the Northeast Pacific off Canada (FAO 67), caught with traps
Tropical shrimp from Southeast Asia or Europe from aquaculture
Halibut from Europe from aquaculture
Herring from the Northwest Atlantic off the USA (FAO 21), caught with purse seines, and from the Northeast Atlantic (FAO 27), with numerous exceptions
Pacific salmon from the Northeast Pacific off Alaska and Canada (FAO 67)
Brown trout from Austria from aquaculture
Mussels from Europe from aquaculture or linen culture
Nile perch or Victoria perch from Lake Victoria in Tanzania (wild caught)
Rainbow trout from Denmark from aquaculture
Char from Europe from aquaculture
Anchovy from the NE Atlantic in Bay of Biscay (FAO 27) from pelagic otter trawls or purse seines
Hake from the Northeast Pacific off Canada and the USA (FAO 67), caught with pelagic otter trawls
Coley (saithe) from the NE Atlantic off Iceland (FAO 27) caught with gillnet gillnets or bottom longlines
Western Pacific tuna (FAO 61, 71) caught with hand lines or fishing lines
Tuna (Yellowfin) from the Eastern and Southwest Pacific (FAO 77, 81) caught with hand lines or line lines
Tuna (albacore) from the Pacific (FAO 61, 67, 81, 87), and from the Northwest and Northeast Atlantic (FAO 21, 27) caught with hand lines, fishing lines or trolling
Catfish (African and European) from aquaculture (closed recirculation systems, pond systems) in Europe

The WWF and consumer organizations agree that you should never eat the following wild fish:

european eel
all shark and ray species
orange roughy, alfonsino
Bluefin tuna
In contrast to the WWF, the consumer advice centers also generally advise against mussels, North Pacific, southern and Atlantic bluefin tuna, Markele, sturgeon, Atlantic salmon, redfish and squid.

Wild Fish Seals give you additional hints as to which fish you can eat. The most well-known is certainly MSC, but some organic associations such as Naturland now also have seals for wild fish. At the end of the article we will introduce you to the most important seals.

Wild-caught fish: The method of catching is crucial

So when you want to eat wild fish, it’s not just about where it was caught. The “how” is also crucial. Greenpeace has a list of the different trapping methods and their advantages and disadvantages. Here are some examples:

Trawl nets: These sometimes huge bag-shaped nets are one of the most popular fishing methods in deep-sea fishing. There are trawls that are pulled over the bottom and those that can fish the sea between the water surface and the bottom. The problem with trawl nets is that there is sometimes a lot of bycatch. In addition, bottom trawls rip up the bottom, destroying coral reefs that are extremely important as ecosystems, among other things.
Gillnets: These fine-mesh nets are so called because fish get caught in them with their gills. One type of gillnet is a gillnet that is placed vertically in a fixed location. Unlike trawl nets, gillnets have less bycatch and leave less damage to the surrounding ecosystem. On the other hand, the fish often hang in the mesh for days before the nets are hauled in. Unlike gillnets, driftnets float around. They are now banned as they often cause large amounts of bycatch, but driftnets are still used in illegal fishing.
Purse seines: The ring-shaped nets are placed around a school of fish to enclose it. This method is often used to catch tuna. The problem is that tuna and dolphins often travel together. Fishermen therefore like to locate and circle dolphins. In the meantime, however, there are firm rules that dolphins that are caught must be released immediately.
Fishing: There are different types of fishing. They usually consist of a short line with a hook that has a bait on it. Fishing is considered to be particularly gentle because bycatch can be recognized immediately and released again and because ecosystems are hardly damaged.
Traps: Fish traps are nets with openings just large enough to allow the desired species of fish to enter but not exit. This can avoid a lot of bycatch.

Aquaculture fish: the better alternative?

Anyone who thinks that you can hardly eat wild fish without major concerns, but you can eat fish from aquaculture, is unfortunately wrong. Neither endangered stocks nor by-catch are an immediate problem for farmed fish from aquaculture. Nevertheless, aquaculture is unfortunately not the ultimate solution, as this form of farming brings with it its own problems:

A big problem is that the fish are often fed fishmeal made from wild fish. Despite aquaculture, the fish stocks are massively affected.
Since many fish are kept in a confined space in aquaculture, the floor beneath them is covered with a particularly large amount of fish excrement. In addition, the fish are often treated with antibiotics. The use of chemicals puts additional strain on the surrounding ecosystems. This is especially true for farms whose water is in direct exchange with seawater.
There are fish farms in tropical and subtropical waters, for which mangrove forests have to give way. These forests are the habitats of many species and also spawning grounds for many wild fish.
When fish escape from aquaculture, they can transmit rampant diseases to wild fish there. In addition, farmed fish are often kept in places where they are not native. When they mix with native stocks, they can upset the delicate balance of ecosystems.
For these reasons, you should not eat fish from aquaculture without hesitation. As in the case of wild fish, seals such as the ASC and Naturland seals can also offer you orientation. You can get more information at the end of the article.

Eating fish – is it really healthy?

Eating fish is generally considered very healthy. They contain, among other things, some vitamins, minerals, many proteins and omega-3 fatty acids. However, fish not only absorb harmless substances from the water: there are repeated reports that fish are contaminated with various pollutants. Here is the most important information:

Most wild fish are caught so young that they are hardly contaminated with pollutants. An exception are older predatory fish, such as tuna and sharks (which you shouldn’t eat anyway). From a certain age, however, these must be regularly checked for pollutants such as mercury, lead or cadmium. Nevertheless, you should eat such fish only rarely, if at all, and avoid them completely during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
A special case are herring and salmon from the northern Baltic Sea: some of them are heavily contaminated with the toxin dioxin.
There are also reports of pollution in farmed fish. Ethoxyquin, which is probably carcinogenic, is particularly problematic. It is banned almost everywhere in the food industry, but may still be added to fishmeal as an additive until 2020. In 2018, both Stiftung Warentest and Öko-Test found increased ethoxyquin concentrations in tests on farmed salmon, but no longer in 2021.
In recent years, reports of microplastics in the sea have repeatedly attracted attention. A study of fish from the North Sea and Baltic Sea has shown that more than five percent of the fish have microplastics in their digestive tract. In North Sea shrimp, even 63 percent were affected. It is not yet clear whether the microplastics are harmful to humans, even in these concentrations. One problem is certainly that plastic often contains harmful plasticizers and that many plastics can bind and accumulate some toxic substances very well.

Eat better fish: Seals offer orientation

MSC: The oldest seal for fish from sustainable wild catches is the MSC seal, which was founded in the late 1990s. MSC stands for Marine Stewardship Council. The seal was initiated by Unilever and WWF, but acts independently according to official information. Around 3,000 products in Germany now bear the MSC seal. The key points of the seal are that no stocks may be overfished and that gentle fishing methods such as fishing or traps must be used. Unfortunately, however, MSC does not make any specifications for animal welfare and inadequate for working conditions. In addition, a test by Stiftung Warentest has shown that stocks can sometimes be overfished and MSC cannot always trace the path of its certified products.
Naturland (wild catch): The Naturland seal for wild fish sets stricter rules. There are also regulations on fair working conditions. So far there are some fishing areas with certified fish in Germany, off the Azores and in Tanzania.
ASC: The counterpart to the MSC seal for farmed fish is the seal of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council, from which around 1000 products are now available in Germany. ASC-certified farms must be located in suitable locations, the water quality must be checked regularly and the use of antibiotics should be limited. However, fishmeal and genetically modified soy are permitted as food.
Naturland (aquaculture): Naturland is once again imposing stricter rules: the fish need enough space, the surrounding ecosystems must be protected, fishmeal may only be used from the remains of edible fish, genetic engineering is not permitted.
Bottom line: fish with the ASC and MSC seals is better than fish that is not certified at all. But it is even better if you want to eat fish, if possible rely on organic associations such as Naturland – even if unfortunately not many types of fish have been certified by them so far. Otherwise, the purchasing guides from Greenpeace and consumer advice centers offer good orientation.

Ultimately, the most important thing is that you treat fish for what it is: a luxury that should only end up on the table occasionally, if at all.

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Planning a Self-sufficient Garden: You Should Consider This

You should plan a self-sufficient garden well so that it works for you. Then it can be an important tool for a more self-determined and sustainable life. Here you can find out more about the most important tips.

More and more people want to live more independently of the economy and the state, focus more on nature and combine sustainability, health and nutrition. You can put this into practice with the help of a self-sufficient garden, for example.

In this article we explain how you can provide yourself with fruit, vegetables, herbs and nuts.

Self-sufficient garden: questions to get started

These relevant questions should accompany you if you are seriously considering becoming a self-sufficient person:

What level of self-sufficiency would you like to have? In other words, what percentage would you like to take care of yourself and what would you have to buy additionally?
In which areas of daily needs would you like to live self-sufficiently? Just fruit and veg? Or, for example, with honey and eggs?
What is your eating style now and how would it need to change if you were self-sufficient? Would it be possible for you to do all of this yourself?
How much garden space do you have available?
How much time can you take to work in your self-sufficient garden?
How much strength, endurance and patience do you have? Are you aware that self-sufficiency also means being outside at any time of the year?
Who would like to help in the self-sufficiency garden? It’s easier when you can share tasks and work.
Which methods do you want to work with? Is classic vegetable cultivation in rows something for you? Do you already know market gardening? Would you like to work with mixed cultures or even with the principles of permaculture?

Basic nutrition and self-sufficiency

If you just want to feed yourself using your self-sufficient garden, you should first find out how much food you need in a day. A food diary can help you with this. Your approximate basal metabolic rate can also serve as a guideline. This indicates how many calories you burn per day at rest.

According to the DGE (German Society for Nutrition), the average calorie requirement for men aged 25 to 51 is 2700 calories on average and for women of the same age 2100.

When creating your menu, you should also make sure that you consume sufficient micronutrients and all macronutrients (i.e. fats, proteins and carbohydrates) in a balanced amount.

How much space do you need for a self-sufficient garden?

How much space you need for a garden that you can completely take care of yourself depends on many factors. The soil conditions and the type of crops cultivated play a role here, for example. The numbers given here give you a first orientation:

Vegetables and herbs: The DGE recommends eating 400 grams of vegetables per day. That would be around 150 kilograms per year. You should plan a little more for the cultivation. Then you are well prepared if there is a loss in earnings. So if you plan on 180 kilograms per year, you need an area of ​​at least 60 to 70 square meters for the vegetables. The potato is probably the most essential staple food for self-sufficient people. It has high nutritional value and is easy to grow relative to grain. One person eats around 60 kilograms of potatoes a year. This corresponds to a bed area of ​​30 square meters.

Fruit: The recommended amount of fruit per day is 250 grams. That is approximately 90 kilograms of fruit per year. Here’s an interesting comparison: A well-tended standard apple tree produces around 100 kilograms of apples a year. However, it takes a few years for an apple tree to reach this stage. Therefore, it is advisable to grow different fruit trees and shrubs. In order to provide yourself with the amount of fruit mentioned above, you should calculate at least an area of ​​​​80 square meters.

Nuts and seeds: You should also plan some space for this indispensable source of protein and fat. Native walnut species are: hazelnut, walnut and chestnut. It also includes beechnuts and acorns. These nuts were formerly brought in as a food source in times of need and are edible under certain circumstances. A mature hazelnut bush, for example, provides you with about 3 kilograms of hazelnuts per year. They are well suited for planting at the edge of the garden. For a hazelnut tree you need about 20 to 50 square meters. You should plan 80 to 100 square meters for a walnut tree.

Note: The required size of your self-sufficient garden ultimately depends on the extent to which you want to be self-sufficient and whether and to what extent you buy additional groceries.

How much time for the self catering garden?

If you are planning a self-sufficiency garden, you also need to know what time capacities you have. The time of day also plays a role. If you only have time in the evenings, it can be difficult in winter. Your soil quality is also a factor affecting time. For example, if you’re lucky enough to have nutrient-rich soil, you don’t have to go to extra lengths to improve soil quality.

Some self-supporters report that they only need an average of 3 hours of work per week to feed two adults and one child. You can definitely do that with certain gardening tricks. But just when you start building a self-sufficient garden, you will have to plan more time. This also includes the research time.

How much time you will need exactly, you have to find out for yourself at the beginning. A garden diary can help you with this. This way you can plan step by step better and better how much time you have to spend on certain activities.

These plants are suitable for cultivation

Plants that grow well without much effort are particularly suitable for a self-sufficient garden, especially at the beginning. These include, for example:

Radish,
chard,
Pumpkin,
Zucchini,
Spinach,
Arugula,
bush beans,
Jerusalem Artichoke,
Potatoes.

Different plants also contain different nutrients. They can be broken down into three categories:

Plants rich in carbohydrates: for example potatoes, corn, carrots, all types of fruit;
Plants rich in protein: for example French beans, broad beans, peas, soybeans, walnuts, hazelnuts;
Plants rich in fat: sunflowers, flax, poppies, walnuts, hazelnuts.

A seasonal calendar gives you the best orientation as to which regional fruits and vegetables you can grow and harvest in which month. The storage periods are also indicated in the Utopia seasonal calendar. In order to fully plan your self-sufficient garden, you should first think carefully about which plants are suitable for which part of the garden. Take the time to read, research and share with others! Your region, climatic conditions and soil conditions are also important when choosing your plants.

Note: In order to be able to eat food from the self-sufficiency garden all year round, you must store it well or preserve it in some other way. To do this, you can boil, dry, ferment, salt, sour or sugar vegetables or fruit. For example, you can make pickled cucumbers, dried tomatoes, sauerkraut, dried fruit, jam, mush or chutney.

Material and equipment for the self-sufficiency garden

Before you start your project, you should get some important things. With the right material and high-quality gardening tools, your work will be much easier.

Your equipment for wind and weather: rubber boots, rain jackets and trousers and gardening gloves (e.g. with natural rubber) are essential. Because you will be kneeling on the floor a lot, knee pads or a knee pillow are useful.
Garden tools: Spades, rakes, rakes, pruning shears, garden shears, hoes, shovels, brooms, knives and weed pullers are the most important garden tools. You can use a lawn mower or even a sickle or scythe for mowing. A ladder, several buckets, a watering can and a wheelbarrow are also among the most important utensils. It is best to look for used equipment to save money and resources.
Planters: Cultivation pots and plant pots of different sizes are essential. Use eco-friendly options whenever possible. Read also: Avoid plastic plant pots: 8 alternatives. If you buy eggs, you can use the egg cartons as breeding pots.
Larger purchases: A self-sufficient person should also create a cold frame, a greenhouse, a planting table, raised beds, a warehouse or a storage cellar and a compost. For your storable harvest, stackable crates come in handy. You should also organize irrigation water.

Self-sufficient garden: conclusion

Complete self-sufficiency from your own garden is almost impossible these days. This would require a lot of compromises and hard work. There are also weather conditions and crop failures.

Nevertheless, there are many reasons to venture into a self-sufficient garden. No one can take away the knowledge and skills you acquire with it. Self-sufficiency makes sense, especially when it comes to fruit and vegetables: In 2020, German agriculture only produced 22 percent of the fruit and 37 percent of the vegetables that were offered for sale. The rest was imported from other countries. If you want to be less dependent on this global industrial agriculture, a self-sufficient garden is a good option.

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Gochujang: This is How You Use the Hot Spice Paste

Gochujang is an important ingredient in Korean cuisine. We present you a simple and quick pasta recipe that you can prepare with the spice paste.

Gochujang is a fermented spice paste that originated in Korean cuisine. It is made from red chilli powder, ground glutinous rice, ground fermented soybeans and salt. In the next section, we will introduce you to an easy and quick recipe for udon noodles with a gochujang sauce.

It is best to use organic ingredients for the recipe. In this way you support sustainable agriculture that does not use chemical-synthetic pesticides and thus protects the environment and your health. With mushrooms and onions, you can also make sure to use products from your region. In this way you avoid long transport routes and improve the climate balance of the dish.

Udon noodles with gochujang

Ingredients:

200 gUdon noodles
200g tofu
200 gmushrooms 1 onion 2 spring onions
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tspGochujang
2 tsp soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame

Directions:

Boil water with a little salt and cook the udon noodles according to the instructions on the packet. Drain the noodles, reserving some water.
Dice the tofu and slice the mushrooms. Cut the onion into fine cubes.
Thinly slice the spring onions and set aside. They are intended for the set.
Heat the sesame oil in a pan and fry the tofu in it.
Add the onion and mushrooms to the pan and sauté them as well.
Add the noodles and let them sauté briefly.
Add the soy sauce and gochujang to the noodles and mix thoroughly. If the dish seems too dry for you, you can add some pasta water.
Roast the sesame seeds in a small pan without fat.
Arrange the noodles on plates and sprinkle with the spring onions and sesame seeds.

You can also use Chinese cabbage or pak choi instead of mushrooms. And if you like a particularly creamy sauce, you can add a teaspoon of (homemade) peanut butter.

How you can use gochujang as well

In addition to using it in a sauce, you can use gochujang for many other dishes:

Use gochujang to flavor soups and stews.
A classic Korean dish that requires gochujang is bibimbap. It consists of vegetables, rice, eggs, and optionally meat. You can replace all or part of the soy sauce and chilli paste in the bibimbap recipe with gochujang.
Another well-known dish made with gochujang is teokbokki. These are rice cakes in a spicy sauce. Gochujang is also a good seasoning for homemade kimchi.

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Peeling Green Asparagus: You Should Pay Attention to This When Cooking It

Peeling green asparagus is quick, but in many cases it is not necessary. We will show you what you have to consider and how to properly process green asparagus.

In contrast to white asparagus, green asparagus are not pricked as soon as the head sticks out of the ground, but continues to grow in the sun. That is why green asparagus does not need black foil. Sunlight gives it its green colour, plus more healthy vitamins and a stronger flavor than white asparagus.

Since green asparagus is less expensive to grow and harvest than white, it is usually a little cheaper. It is also less complicated to prepare. Because of its thin skin, you usually don’t have to peel green asparagus! If you buy it seasonally, you can also be sure that its growth has not been artificially accelerated by heaters or thermal foils. So there is a lot to be said for accessing seasonal green asparagus.

Note: The use of foil when growing white asparagus makes it a real problem for the environment. Not only does the film pollute the environment during its production and disposal, it also destroys the natural habitat of many endangered bird species.

Peel, cut, or break green asparagus?

Whether or not you need to peel green asparagus depends on how it was harvested. If the bottom third is purple-whitish and hard, be sure to peel that part and cut off the dried ends. The white rim has not yet seen sunlight and will still be very firm and brittle after cooking.

When the asparagus is green all the way through, just cut off the end an inch. You should never peel the green and soft asparagus skin. Most of the vitamins are just under the skin. If the asparagus spears are still very thick and the skin feels hard, peel only the lower third.

You can also break green asparagus instead of cutting them. Since the inedible part cannot be broken off, the asparagus will break off above the woody end. So you don’t have to use a peeler or knife and you can prepare your asparagus quickly and easily. For this, the asparagus must be very fresh and crisp.

Green asparagus tastes best fresh from the market. If necessary, you can wrap it in a damp cloth in the fridge and keep it fresh for a few days.

In order to avoid long transport routes and to protect the environment and climate, you should only buy asparagus regionally and seasonally. To be sure your asparagus is chemical-synthetic free, buy organic asparagus.

Boil green asparagus

The easiest way to prepare green asparagus is in boiling salted water. The cooking time is significantly shorter than with white asparagus and, depending on the thickness, is only around eight minutes.

In order for the asparagus to keep its bright green color, you can also add some white vinegar or lemon juice to the cooking water and shock the asparagus with ice water when they are done.

Or you can simply fry green asparagus in a pan with some cooking oil or fat. Cut into fine pieces, it is cooked within five minutes.

Of course, asparagus can also be grilled or put in the oven as an asparagus casserole. Green asparagus soup tastes particularly delicious. You can also use the woody ends that you removed earlier and boil them as a broth for the soup. In this way you use every gram of your precious asparagus and there are no leftovers that you have to throw away at the end.

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Eat Less Meat – This is How You Can Do It

Reducing your own meat consumption has many advantages for the environment, animals and health. And it’s easier than you think. We have tips on how to manage to eat less meat.

There are many good reasons to eat less meat: environmental protection, animal welfare, health, to name just a few. Perhaps you are toying with the idea of reducing your meat consumption or giving up meat altogether. On the one hand, this is not that difficult, on the other hand, we have a few tips here so that you can definitely succeed in eating less meat.

Don’t think too far into the future

If you start thinking too far ahead, you may feel a little overwhelmed by the change. It’s best not to think too much about what’s coming at first, just go for it and see how it goes for you. Thinking now about whether you will be able to do without a roast at Christmas is of relatively little use. Would you rather look for vegetarian snacks for a spring picnic or invite a few friends over for a vegetarian Easter brunch. That makes more sense – and more fun!

Don’t put yourself under pressure and don’t set big goals

Eating less meat shouldn’t become an exercise that puts you under pressure. Don’t set yourself any goals, at least not big ones. For example, from now on, “completely abstaining from meat forever” doesn’t have to be. Instead, try to set small goals, such as eating meat one day each week. Or set no specific goals at all, apart from reducing your meat consumption – without any benchmarks, quantities or time limits. So as little pressure as possible.

Tell others about it

Inform others about your intention to eat less meat (without brandishing the moral club). On the one hand, this strengthens your plan mentally, on the other hand, you may get positive encouragement that motivates you. Or – very practically – others may give you good tips or have meat-free recipe ideas to share with you.

Find like-minded people

It’s better together: This also applies to trying to eat less meat. Therefore, look for people who also want to remove meat from the menu or are already doing so. You may also find someone in your circle of friends who is also planning to eat less meat. Then you can start together and exchange ideas or support each other. It’s also more fun to try out new dishes and restaurants together.

There are also many veggie communities online. There you can exchange ideas with like-minded people, collect recipes or ask for insider tips: Where can you find good vegetarian sausages? How do I make Kohlrabi Schnitzel? Or who knows the best veggie kebab stand?

Try new things and experiment

Have you tried eggplant for the first time in your life? No problem, now is the opportunity to rediscover vegetables. For example, find a delicious recipe with aubergines and try again to see if you like aubergines. Or give Brussels sprouts a (new) chance, for example as a Brussels sprouts quiche.

But you can also combine vegetables that you have never eaten together before. For example, broccoli tastes great in a salad. Or fennel with orange – a poem!

Go eating

Especially if you live in a city, take advantage of the offer and look around for restaurants, cafes, takeaways and so on that have a vegetarian or vegan offer. There are now a variety of places in every major city that offer meat-free cuisine, from burgers to curries, sandwiches and home cooking, you’re sure to find something you’re looking for.

If you prefer to go to your local bar, then specifically ask for non-meat dishes there. Maybe you will discover new delicious dishes there that you have always overlooked. The advantage of eating out: You not only enjoy good vegetarian or vegan dishes, you also don’t have to cook or wash up yourself. Especially when starting out, it is also good to be inspired by chefs who have more experience with meat-free cuisine and show the corresponding finesse.

Eat less meat? Learn (vegetarian) cooking

If you prefer to cook for yourself, no problem either. On the contrary, you can now find countless recipes online, for example at Utopia. In addition, when you prepare (new dishes) yourself, you can enjoy the feeling of success that you get when you succeed in a recipe particularly well.

Especially if you don’t want to move in the direction of pudding vegetarian: in, it makes sense to lend a hand and cook with fresh and seasonal ingredients. The more colorful the better!

In many cities there are also vegetarian cooking courses and you will also find what you are looking for in bookstores if you are looking for vegetarian cookbooks. Maybe a good reason to visit your favorite bookstore again.

Eat what you like

Bolognese is your favorite dish? So why not cook vegan Bolognese from soy strips and make it your new favorite dish. If you don’t like something at all, for example the fennel mentioned above, then stick to meat-free foods or vegetables that you like to eat when making the switch. Or try it with dishes that you like. If you like tarte flambée, try a vegetarian version with asparagus.

Try plant-based meat alternatives

If you like schnitzel, sausage, nuggets and the like, then try vegan and vegetarian alternatives. You may be surprised and at the same time you don’t have to change your habits much.

If substitutes aren’t your thing, no problem, there are many vegan recipes that don’t require any meat substitutes at all.

Prevention is half the battle

So that you don’t throw in the towel out of habit, it’s better to take precautions. For example, if you don’t yet know where you can eat a good vegetarian meal during your lunch break, it’s better to pack leftovers from the previous evening’s dinner. At home, a supply of vegetarian ingredients, from lentils to vegetables, to tofu and tomato paste, is a good idea. In this way, delicious dishes can be conjured up quickly and you won’t be embarrassed to go back to the butcher’s meat loaf roll, especially during the break.

Also recommended: It is always good to have veggie snacks on hand for acute hunger pangs. Good snacks are nut mixes, crackers, fruit, muesli bars or a vegan snack sausage if you like to eat something like that in between. We recommend that you choose organic food here.

Pay attention to a balanced diet

Not least for the sake of your health, but also for the enjoyment of eating, you should ensure a balanced diet when you switch to a meat-free diet. Living only on fries may make you happy at times, but it takes revenge in the end.

By the way: How about chickpea fries? But not exclusively, please.

As with cooking, the same applies to eating: the more colourful, the better. When it comes to your diet, make sure that you cover your nutritional needs, for example to avoid hunger pangs. Vegetable proteins can help you with this. And try to eat as balanced and varied as possible, to integrate many different types of vegetables, fruit or cereals into your diet. Seeds, nuts and herbs (e.g. in salads) round off your meals and provide additional vitamins and nutrients. Also: the eye eats with you!

We also recommend that you buy regional, seasonal and organic food when it comes to groceries. This is not only good for you, but also protects the environment.

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Food

Vegan Egg Salad: With This Recipe It Succeeds

Vegan egg salad that resembles a “real” egg salad in terms of taste, appearance and consistency – that’s possible. With our recipe you can make your own egg salad without eggs and dairy products.

A vegan egg salad made from chickpeas and noodles: What sounds unusual at first tastes convincing. And all without animal suffering and animal protein. We’ll show you a simple recipe for vegan egg salad that is in no way inferior to the animal-based original.

Vegan Egg Salad: Ingredients for the recipe

This recipe for vegan egg salad makes two full servings or four servings as a side to the main course.

You need the following ingredients:

200 g chickpeas (cooked, drained)
125 g small pasta (uncooked)
1 tsp turmeric
1 small onion
1 tsp Kala Namak (Black Salt)
black pepper
1 small bunch of fresh chives (or other herbs)
100g vegan mayonnaise

Ingredient tips and variations:

You have to soak dried chickpeas overnight beforehand and boil them until soft for about two hours. In a separate guide, we explain exactly how to cook and soak chickpeas. If you want to be quick, you can also use pre-cooked chickpeas from a jar.
Very small noodles are best for the vegan egg salad. You can also use normal (whole grain) pasta and cut it up later. Make sure the noodles don’t contain any eggs.
Kala Namak is a special sulphurous salt that gives the egg salad its typical egg taste. In our special article on black salt “Kala Namak” you can find out everything about its origin, use, and buying tips.
Fresh chives are part of a classic egg salad. Alternatively, you can also use other fresh herbs from the garden – we have included a few rocket leaves in our recipe.
You can either buy vegan mayonnaise ready-made in health food stores or you can make it yourself. We show you a recipe for mayonnaise without eggs.
Extra tip: We made a low-fat mayonnaise alternative for the recipe. We seasoned vegan oat cream (porridge-based) with some linseed oil, mustard, salt, pepper, lemon juice and yeast flakes.

Make vegan egg salad yourself: Instructions in 10 steps

Plan about twenty minutes to prepare the vegan egg salad:

Put the noodles in boiling water and cook them until they are really soft (not al dente).
In the meantime, you can already mash the cooked chickpeas with a fork.
Optional: If you prepare the vegan mayonnaise yourself, you can also do this in the meantime.
Drain the cooked noodles and mash them with a fork as well.
Mix the mashed chickpeas with the noodles and add the turmeric powder for the color.
Cut the onion into fine pieces and add them to the egg salad mixture.
Now add the Kala Namak and black pepper to taste.
Wash and chop the chives and add them to the mixture as well.
Stir well.
Finally, fold in the vegan mayonnaise – et voilá, your vegan egg salad is ready!

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Food

Mashed Potatoes Without Milk: You Can Use This as an Alternative

You can also prepare creamy mashed potatoes without milk. We will tell you which ingredients are suitable for the potato main course or side dish.

Mashed potatoes without milk can be just as creamy as the classic recipe. Traditionally, mashed potatoes are made with cow’s milk. However, if you avoid dairy products, you can prepare the homemade mashed potatoes with alternative products.

In addition to milk alternatives, you need potatoes and spices of your choice. Potatoes are healthy because they contain protein, fiber and important micronutrients, among other things.

When choosing your ingredients, make sure they come from organic farming. In this way you avoid residues of chemical-synthetic pesticides in and on your food. You also reduce your carbon footprint if you choose regional potatoes.

Tip: Easily plant potatoes yourself.

Plant-based milk alternatives

To cook mashed potatoes without milk, you can switch to plant-based alternatives. These lactose-free and vegan products are particularly suitable:

Oat milk: Easily make your own oat milk from oatmeal and water. The oat milk has a slightly tart taste and goes well with the hearty recipe. You can also get oat flakes and oat milk from regional cultivation.
Soy milk: Milk made from soy is a popular alternative because it is nutritious and tastes creamy. However, soy milk is mostly imported and therefore contributes to more CO2 emissions.
Almond milk: With our simple quick recipe you can make almond milk yourself. It is a bit sweeter than other alternatives and gives the mashed potatoes a nutty note.

Alternatives to dairy products

If you want to cook your mashed potatoes without milk or milk alternatives, you can choose the following products:

Catch the cooking water from the potatoes and mix some of it with the potatoes as you mash. This preserves the aroma of the potatoes and you avoid wasting nutrients in the potato water. The starch contained in the water makes the mashed potatoes particularly creamy.
Vegetable broth is a flavorful alternative. Make your own vegetable broth and cook a hearty puree with it.
In addition to the vegetable broth, you can also use yeast flakes. They are flavorful and add a creamy texture to the mashed potatoes without milk. So that the mashed potatoes don’t get too dry, it’s good to mix the potatoes with yeast flakes and some water.
Use fats or oils. Vegan margarine and olive oil are flavor carriers and bind the potatoes into a smooth mass when pureed.
The amount of ingredients depends on the amount of potatoes you have. It’s best to drain off the cooking water, catch as needed, and then gradually add the milk alternatives until you get a creamy and smooth consistency.

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Food

Recognizing Good Ice Cream: You Have to Pay Attention to This in the Ice Cream Parlor

High, creamy mountains of ice in many bright colors – what looks delicious is often an indication of additives. We’ll show you what to look out for when you go to the ice cream parlour.

Treat yourself to a refreshment on hot days – the nearby ice cream parlor is just the thing. But how do I recognize high-quality ice cream that is free of additives? The inscription “from own production”, which adorns many ice cream parlors, could be a first clue. Or?

“Homemade ice cream” can mean many things

Unfortunately, it’s not that easy, because the terms “from our own production” or “homemade” are not legally binding. Making it yourself can mean a lot: Mixing ready-made powder, “refining” a ready-made base with fresh fruit or chocolate, or making your own ice cream from scratch. The consumer advice center is therefore calling for more transparency from ice cream manufacturers.

Then maybe a better look at the ingredients? This is not always possible either, because ice cream parlors are not obliged to provide them. They only have to declare allergens and individual additives, such as dyes. Bright, bright colors in the ice cream case are a possible indication that the ice cream was produced industrially and with additives. Even if the ice cream in the display case towers impressively, this is anything but a sign of quality. Rather, it is an indication of the use of emulsifiers.

Emulsifiers ensure that the ingredients mix well and the ice cream does not melt as quickly. But they also have downsides. The emulsifier polysorbate 80, which is often contained in ice cream, is suspected of promoting obesity and intestinal inflammation. Lecithin – the most common emulsifier – is harmless to health. However, it often comes from genetically modified soybean plants, which are grown in monocultures.

Under certain circumstances, the high ice towers also indicate insufficient cooling. You can also see how hygienic it is in an ice cream parlor by looking at the aprons, ice cream scoops and containers. If these are contaminated, there is a risk of an increased number of germs in the ice. During a hygiene check in Saarland, the ice usually did well. On the other hand, there were complaints about two out of three cream samples.

Nut ice cream – without nuts?!

Especially when it comes to nut ice cream, people cheat. It often doesn’t contain what should be in it: nuts. Pistachio ice cream, for example, is often tricked out by using flavors such as bitter almonds to compensate for the missing nut content or almost completely replace it.

In order to make the pistachio ice cream look like pistachios, manufacturers often help. Coloring plant dyes ensure a rich green and suggest pistachios in the ice cream. If chemical dyes are used, this must be stated on the label. So it’s best to take a closer look when you choose your ice cream in the ice cream parlour.

Note: If the sign says “pistachio-flavored ice cream” or “walnut-flavored ice cream” or something similar, you can assume that the flavor comes only from the added flavors and not from real nuts. Then you should rather reach for another ice cream.

If in doubt: ask or do it yourself

If you want to be sure what’s in your scoop of ice cream, you should check with the ice cream shop. You can also make ice cream yourself – even without an ice cream maker. Tip for vegans: sorbet should be free of milk components. But here, too, you better ask if you want to be on the safe side.

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