Experts provide tips for plant-based diets

Maggie Baird says her vegan cinnamon rolls are a family favorite. Includes world-renowned musician Billy Eiley and the children who have become Finny’s.

Growing up, Baird stopped eating meat as he felt a connection to the animals. Her commitment grew as she learned about the environmental impacts of animal agriculture. And her mother died of a heart attack at the age of 57. This is because one of many people in her family dies of heart disease.

“I always say there’s a triple set of reasons.” The aforementioned meatsaid Baird, who founded Support + Feed, a nonprofit organization that advocates for a more climate-friendly food system and provides plant-based diets to those in need.

That connection between people and the healthy for the planets rules the latest Eat-Lancet Commission Reportan updated version of the 2019 analysis, created by leading food researchers around the world. In addition to detailing the contributions of the food system to climate change, it also outlines the latest version of “Planetary Healthy Food,” which highlights fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and nuts, and encourages people in particular in high-income countries. Reduce animal product intakeEspecially the lean meat.

“There’s nothing else on pound-based, pound-based, except for refrigerant; The pollution power of beefDuring a Climate Week presentation in New York City, Jonathan Foley, executive director of Independent Climate Solutions’ nonprofit project drawdown, said.

I asked experts for some tips Your kitchen core plant. This is what they said.

I sharpen your basics

Are you worried that homemade asparagus won’t taste as good as your signature steak? Miguel Guerra, chef and owner of Mita, a Latin American restaurant with vegetables, Washington, DC, which won a Michelin star in 2024, said that probably just means you’re not practicing that much with the right techniques.

Guerra suggested working on the basics. Learn how to brunch asparagus, steamed broccoli, and even roast sweet potatoes to make them crispy on the outside. Even knife skills make a difference. Guerra said the onion chopped the right way to taste better.

“I didn’t eat vegetables when I was a kid,” he said. After that, culinary school, and especially delicious broccoli cheddar soup, changed his mind. He found that fresh ingredients can be improved by selecting and preparing them with care and effort.

You’ll reach the season, but keep a stock pantry with sauces, proteins and spices

When shopping, keeping a stock pantry with canned foods like sauces and stable ingredients on shelves makes it easier for vegetables to look freshest or become seasonal, says Joshua McFadden, chef, restaurant, farmer and cooking author, about the “sixth season” approach to cooking.

There are also many plant-based protein sources that canned food, tofu, nuts, lentils, and more that can be kept in your pantry or freezer for long periods of time. All of these are highlighted in the Eatlant Report as ingredients worthy of a central location for healthy eating for people and the planet.

Even simple seasonings like salt, pepper and olive oil can help the plant’s ingredients shine, according to McFadden, who speaks on a panel at the New York Climate Week event.

However, Baird also suggested experimenting with ingredients from pomegranate molasses to capers that may not normally be stored in the kitchen. If you don’t have what you need for a new recipe at the grocery store, you can replace it while aiming to be “a little bold.”

Use accessible plants in a culturally relevant way

The comfort of familiar food, how much it costs, and the knowledge of how to cook it, is the best concern for many in the South Bronx who come to the community garden, said Cheryl Durant, an urban farmer and educator who has been working with the refugee community to speak on another panel at the same event as McFadden. “One of our roles is to grow a variety of foods, grow culturally relevant foods, and demonstrate that these foods are available in affordable ways,” she said.

According to Johan Rockstrom, one of the authors of the Eat-Lancet Committee, traditional local foods tend to be healthier for people and the planets than modern foods born from industrial food systems.

Durant pointed out that different cultures use the ingredients differently, and that talking to people elsewhere in the world is also a great way to learn new recipes for plants that you think already know how to use.

Mita’s Guerra grew up deeply rooted in Venezuelan cuisine, but it still informs his work. He said he doesn’t like using vegan labels and isn’t the vegan himself. Cooking with vegetables and saying, “I just want to make sure they’re the stars of the show.

He explained that using mushrooms and other plant-based ingredients, he recreated a sweet, tangy sauce traditionally made with meat, “a dish made in a special way that is really close to our hearts and our country.”

Don’t expect an accurate replica of your favorite dishes

“I think it’s important for plant-based foods that it’s not just about trying to replicate. Think about what’s good,” Baird said.

“It would be tasty,” she said, leaning on a completely plant-based combination that already makes sense from a flavour point of view, like a creme brulee with mango and coconut milk.

Galla follows the same principles. “We said, ‘Oh, how do you replace the steak? Or how do you make something that looks like a steak on a plate?” “It’s true to the ingredients we use, and the dishes and flavors we want to present next.”

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