Piedmontese Onions Done Right

 sometimes a recipe allows you a do over. That's what happened when the Piedmontese onion recpe turned out a disaster.Luckily it was amended and to delicious results.

I started out with a vegan version of my Nonna's and Mom's stuffing recipe.

I used a combo of Beyond Meat , breadcrumbs, some of the onions chopped  Vitalife mozzarella, cheese and Melt Butter.

This is BeyondMeat I used about half about ten ounces

A quarter cup of bread crumbs were added to this

Chopped onion and two tables spoons fo microwaved Melt were added to this to moisten it. I didn't have any Just Egg for binding but the Melt seemed to do the trick.

 The onions were were unstuffed and re cut to fit the stuffing Tge vegan mozzarella was also added to.

You can see it's bigger ,and more cone like to fit the stuffing.

They were then stuffed and microwaved for about six to seven minutes in the microwave

The end resukt was a much tastier version of what I had first made. I realzized II took the easy way out.

The filling was a mix of crunchy and tender while the onion was exquisitely tender.

Some recipes you can do over. This is the case with Piednmontese onions. They were perfect thanks to a more tradditional and classic recipe.

Veggies Made Great Frittatas ; Tasty And Healthy

 There's something about breakfast for dinner. It's a fun way to get all the flavors of the morning meal for a tasty supper. The only problem is that breakfasts can be a nit unhealthy. Not to worry Veggies Made Great has created frittata cups that are flecked with Beyond Meat sausages.

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These are the perfect breakfast . lunch or dinner,They're called frittatas but are more like egg cups or muffins made from eggs, Beyond Meat, peppers and cheese. These were the ones I chose for a light supper. The company also make a mushroom and three cheese version along with a broccoli and cheddar ones.

You can make them in the oven or microwave, but they turn out better in the air fryer.

Keep in mind to turn them after being cooked for nine minutes at 350 degrees F. Then turn on their tops and cook for about six more minutes.They come out a golden brown, crispy on the outside , mousse like on the inside.

The taste is light and airy , with the sausage and peppers coming through.

The cheddar ones were flecked with a good amount of cheese. These would also be good with a salad for lunch or dinner. Veggies Made Great also has a variety of healthy muffin like cakes, packed with veggies along with veggie infused baked mac and cheese cakes.

These little egg cakes are perfect for those looking for a healthy alternative to bacon and eggs. They are flavorful yet light. Try them for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Vegetarian In A Time Of Shortages

Getting food nowadays is akin to our ancestors foraging and hunting for food. The store shelves are scant with good food and nutritious choices. Is it worse for vegetarians? Maybe not.

If there is ever a time to go meatless now is the time. The meat section may be bereft of chicken cutlets and ground beef but there is still Beyond Meat burgers and their version of chopped meat.These taste like the real thing and are just as versatile as their meaty counterparts. You can make anything from your own version of Beef-A-Roni or patty melts, both would be hits with the kids. The company also has sausage patties and sausage links. The first  can be used to make a breakfast sandwich with vegan eggs and vegan cheese. Another faux meat brand is Gardein. The company has a wide array of different types. For a nice family meal try their turkey cutlets with gravy. These kind of are like a  turkey schnitzel  that tastes like the bird itself along with the gravy which has a homemade taste. Pair it with Stovetop  Stuffing or the homemade kind along with yams and green beans. They have excellent chicken strips , perfect with barbecue sauce and a side of fries. The family will love their Friday night fish fry with Gardein's crunchy filets which taste like Gorton's and Mrs. Paul's. Add fries for a real fish and chips experience. The company also produces  faux crab cakes which would be perfect for at home  mocktail parties with the kids.

Butter and eggs are also in short supply right now. Not to worry. You can easily find substitutes on line and in the stores. I've recently discovered Vegg egg substitute and was quite pleased with it. I  bought their egg yolk mix.It's just adding water and microwaving it for a couple of seconds. It produces a yolk-y sauce that you can dip toast into, but I found it makes a wonderful base for Hollandaise sauce. One of their other products is power scramble which creates a curd like scrambled sub in when water is added. It's cooked for a few minutes in the microwave. It's perfect with  Morningstar's Farms soy bacon strips.  Throw in some chopped bell peppers, onions and tomatoes for a Spanish style vegan omelet. The company also sells a French toast mix and cake mixes with the egg substitute already added in. Try the Vegg eggs with some melted faux butter  on toast. Real butter seems to be flying off the shelves too right now. The plant base butters , however, are still there and they're great for cooking and baking. Country Crock has them made out of olive oil. For a real buttery taste go for Miyoko's European Style Cultured Vegan Butter made out of cashews! This is perfect for cooking and just for slathering on  any homemade bread.

Yes, there are shortages right now. Yet if you go vegetarian or vegan, you'll be OK. There are many meatless and plant derived foods right now that can see you through these tough times.

Shopping Days These Days

These days are unprecedented and it's scary to even think about going out food shopping. This one pleasant task has become a frightening trip into the unknown. Luckily there are tips to stay sane .

Even in better days, a shopping list is handy . Many phones have a Note app that lets you create lists. There's no need for the old school paper ones. These can be easily added to and can be deleted after shopping (Or kept). Remember to sanitize your phone when you come home if you do take it out after coming home. Always ask yourself what are the basics that you need. Are you low on rice? Or pasta? These go fast and it pays to buy a few sacks of rice to keep you going. These will last for a month and rice is a versatile base. Try to buy a variety of pasta - think rotelli and spaghetti along with smaller pieces like ditalini which are perfect for soups. How many boxes should you get? As many as you need. Families with kids should buy more. Kids love a good soothing spaghetti dinner and it is a comfort during these crazy times. Cereal is also a must, especially if you have little ones. Three or four boxes should be enough for a week or two, especially if you ration them. The same goes for the hot cereals such as oatmeal and farina. With this comes milk, so buy three or four containers of it.

Other basics are beef and poultry but these can be hard to find. Some grocery stores like Acme and Wal-mart have roast chicken that you can pick up when you want a treat. There may some shortages on fresh cuts and cutlets. Think about packaged and frozen meals. Also consider frozen fish as well . The kids will like fish sticks every now and then. This is also the time to go vegan because vegan products seem to be plentiful. Gardein is always in stock and they have an excellent choice of faux meats. Their hamburgers taste like the real thing and they're great as patty melts or plain. Everyone will like their chicken tenders which have the same crunch and taste as the real thing. Beyond Burgers and Impossible Meat are also great and taste very much like beef. As for veggies and fruit should you get fresh? If you can yes. Everyone appreciates a fresh apple or a bowl of cherry tomatoes. . Just remember to wash all fruits and veggies for twenty seconds with cold water before storing.  Also when you get the food home remember to decontaminate it. Wipe all plastic containers and cardboard boxes with disinfectant. Do it outside and transfer the cleaned products to uncontaminated or untouched bags.

A grocery store visit isn't what it used to be.It's essential but risky. Take all the precautions you can , and shop wisely. Get what you truly need and get it in multiples. Make your shopping list last a week or two during these unprecedented times.

Easy Cooking From The Sunday Times.

Many think cooking a chore. It involves too much time and effort to create a delicious dish.Then there's the endless clean up afterwards. Yet imagine having recipes that are not only flavorful but also relatively easy to cook up. You can. The Sunday New York Times put out a keeper issue One/Pot/Pan /Skillet yesterday of simple dishes.

This is a compilation of all the Wednesday Food section writer's recipes.There are twenty-four recipes that can make for an easy supper, lunch or even brunch.Best of all they're made in either a single skillet, pot or pan.There are meat recipes along with vegetarian options too. Best of all you won't find yourself tied to the kitchen sink for thirty minutes to an hour. These free you up.Another plus is that there are little tips at the bottom of every recipe. The feature everything from pro tips to fun facts and substitutions along with additions and slow cooker instructions. I really like this extra and plan on making many of the recipes. They're the perfect winter ones too. I definitely want to try the shakshuka with feta one. This North African egg dish is a one skillet blend of spicy tomato- red pepper blend and eggs.Cumin and paprika add fire while  crumbled feta on top keeps the dish cool.Another must cook is Kay Chun's baked barley risotto with mushrooms and carrots. This is a mix of different mushrooms, from white button cremini and shitakes cooked in a Dutch oven with carrots and pearl barley.it's first cooked on top of the stove and then popped into the oven for thirty minutes.

There are some delicious meat recipes here too. They can easy be made meatless thanks to vegan beef crumbles and Beyond Meat sausages. There is a cheesy baked pasta with sausage and ricotta by Melissa Clark. It's chock full of ricotta and crushed tomatoes all cooked and baked in one skillet.Another  hearty , rib sticking dish comes from Sam Sifton and is based on Los Angeles chef Roy Choi's mother's recipe. It's Korean braised short rib stew or galbijjim. This tasty stew can also be cooked in a slow cooker or even an outdoor cooker. They're marinated in a mix of fresh orange juice, mirin,a type of rice wine along with apple juice and garlic cloves. A variety of mushrooms are added to it as well. Sheet pan lovers will appreciate Ali Slagle's sausage and Brussels sprouts with honey mustard.The name says everything. It's these ingredients plus Yukon gold or red potatoes drizzled with a homemade honey mustard sauce. It's zinged up with mustard seeds. Another sheet pan recipe is roasted fish with roasted peppers. Again this is another Melissa Clark recipe that has hake fillets cooked with sweet red peppers and black or green olives.

One Pot/Pan/Skillet is a must keep. It's chock full of easy , unfussy recipes that you can make any time. Try any of them today and be free from all the clean up afterwards.

Valentine's Meals For Your Sweetie

One of the best Valentine's Day gift is something homemade. Any sweetie will appreciate either a homemade meal .Even if you can't cook you can come up with an easy and delicious table for two.

A lux breakfast in bed is always appreciated. A simple dish would be scrambled eggs with ham . Put it on croissants for a richer look and taste. Another easy breakfast dish is eggs Benedict. This is simply poached eggs on English muffins with a lemon- butter sauce. It's mixed with egg yolks for richness.It's the perfect dish to serve with mimosas , or Bellinis, peach nectar blended with champagne. If you're lucky to have lunch together, then think of a charcuterie platter. This is one for the easiest but also the richest tasting of all lunch time dishes. Start with buying a beautiful wooden charcuterie plate. (you can always reuse it at parties and holidays). Have an array of good Italian cold cuts such as mortadella, hard salami and prosciutto. Sopressata, a spicy Southern Italian dry salami is another good meat, perfect on sliced Italian or French bread. Cheeses are a must. Brie is perfect, especially on French bread but Gruyere and smoked Gouda are also good choices. Have a chilled Cabernet or Zinfandel  to sip with this tasty mix. You could also go old school with grilled cheese and tomatoes. Cut the grilled cheese into a heart . Get creative and drizzle sour cream into a heart shape onto the soup's surface.

Of course a Valentine's Day dinner is a big deal. Just remember that's it's just as easy to make surf and turf at home than ordering it at a restaurant. Keep in mind that the seafood could be anything from shrimp to lobster to crab. As for the beef, any cut will do, from a flank to a T-bone. Serve with a side of buttery string beans almondine and/or sauteed spinach. Cornish hens are another tasty and romantic night dinner. Spike up the flavor with a rub of powdered garlic and paprika and serve with brown rice. Want to impress with a night of exotic flavors? Then try tagine, the Morroccan hot pot of different ingredients and spices. The recipe does call for tagine pot , a kind of skillet with a triangular lid but you can also use a deep skillet or even a crock pot. A chicken one calls for a whole roaster cut up  and cooked with tomatoes, peas and carrots. Almonds and dried apricots are also essential to give it a true Moroccan vibe. You could also make a veggie tagine by subbing in chickpeas and butternut squash. If your sweetie is a vegan, then think about a Beyond Meat burger with all the trimmings. Use a cumin spiced Nayonnaise , vegan mayo with tomato slices and soy bacon. Serve with a big helping of air fried sweet potato fries with a home made tomato paste based ketchup.

Nothing says love more than a home cooked meal.It could be breakfast, lunch or dinner. As long as it's home cooked by a home chef with a heart and a kitchen full of love.

New Year New Meatless Attitude

A new year - and a new decade  - means different and healthier recipe options. This is definitely the year to go meatless and dairyless  to help yourself and the planet. If you're hesitant, think twice. There are some really good meatless recipes  - seriously - that'll help you transition.

Melissa Clark gave a slew of them in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Her drive to help the planet actually started back in the Spring when fellow colleague Julia Moskin teamed up with Brad Plumer from The New York Times Climate desk to report on how our current food system is contributing to climate change. The results were crystal clear and deeply disturbing to her. Meat and dairy production contribute to a staggering 14.5 percent of the world's greenhouse emissions. It's  as much as all the cars, trucks, airplanes and ships combined!!! Ms. Clark has tried to lessen her carbon footprint by shopping at farmer's markets and choosing ethically raised meats. She stays away from most processed foods. Yet this isn't enough.She gives us several good suggestions. One is eat more beans.There is enough varieties out there to have an interesting and varied diet. Also eat more grains, including pasta. Go the vegan route and add more tofu to your recipes. Eat more seeds and grains too.Another must? Go to plant based "meats". These are not only good for you but delicious. Also appreciate when you do cook meat. Add some turkey sausage to spinach salad, Ms. Clark suggests, or have a good concentrated bone broth. Salami and prosciutto can add a salty unami flavor to braised veggies.

What of the veggie dishes themselves? Ms. Clark gives us a mushroom bourguignon, made with two pounds of mixed mushrooms . You can use  cremini, portobello, white button, shiitake and /or oyster types mixed with leeks and onions. Like it's beefy cousin, there is red wine and tomato paste along with thyme. Soy or tamari sauce is added for more flavor. You can serve this over polenta but also pasta or mashed potatoes for a hearty , wintry dish. Another tasty one is a riff on Indian butter chicken - Indian butter chickpeas.It's a spicy , buttery blend of the classic dish, rich with cinnamon, cumin, paprika and garam masala. If you're craving just the tiniest bit of meat then try the maple roasted tofu with butternut squash and bacon.It's a sweet, salty, spicy  sheet pan dinner that a delicious blend of texture and flavors.  There's also black bean tacos with avocado and onions,a sure way to convert those meat lovers to vegan dishes. A healthy and tasty dinner, even perfect for one is the quinoa bowl with crispy Brussels sprouts, eggplant and tahini, The veggies are roasted and added to the grains. A really fun dish is the meatless meatballs made with Beyond Meat and all the traditional meatball ingredients like, garlic, chopped parsley and breadcrumbs. Forget the pasta, Serve these with sauce on hero loaves for a tasty sandwich or with a slice of crusty and oiled Italian bread.

Make this year you save the planet. Decrease your meat and cheese intake. Try these vegan and vegetarian recipes and enjoy. You'll wonder why you ate beef and cheese in the first place.

A Very Vegan Christmas

Christmas is the time for good will towards all and that includes animals. For a more sympathetic and Franciscan holiday think about going vegan and vegetarian. It's surprisingly easy to do  -not to mention delicious with the right foods and treats.

What do herbivores eat for the holidays? I'm asked that all the time , as I cook and bake in a vegetarian household. (I'm not one myself and I will allow myself dairy , eggs and meat/seafood from time to time). For main meals  some kind of tofu pr plant based "meat" is the star. Beyond Meat and Impossible Burgers have expanded the range of no meat recipes. I was pleasantly surprised when I found out my local Stop & Shop had all different kinds of plant based meats, including Beyond Burgers meat loaf and sausages. Even Stop & Shop itself has their own version of the faux meat which is exciting. The chopped "meat" can be made into a fancy loaf and decorated with grape tomatoes, olives and peppers. You could also make a meaty vegan lasagna, perfect for a crowd as a second course. Tofurkey has these little "hams" that have an amber ale glaze or just plain. There 's some fancy recipes regarding them, with one giving it the Hassleback treatment. This is slicing the ham and stuffing the slits with rosemary and tart apples. it's served on a variety of veggies like carrots and fingerling potatoes. Tofurky also gives us their famed tofu turkey loaf and feast package. There is a breadcrumb and rice stuffing in their loaves, while the feast comes with gravy and even a cheesecake.

Many feel that seafood is a luxury, perfect for a lush Christmas Eve or Christmas Day meal. Gardein which has excellent vegan meat like their turkey and gravy and chicken strips offers crab puffs. These mini balls are a perfect way of starting off a meal and have relatively the same ingredients as the real thing. Onions and peppers along with a hint of garlic give them that extra flavor, associated with crab cakes. Vegan Essentials, a great site for all things vegan has some good fish and seafood substitutes. I recently made their Match Meat brand  crab cakes. They were just as good as the real thing, especially with the seafood taste and crumbly texture. One large cake can satisfy one person and they're perfect with a salad and a light side. There's also a nice lemony aftertaste thanks to addition of lemon juice in the recipe. Vegan Essentials also sells "lobster chunks" by Loving Hut which I ordered for Christmas and am excitedly. anticipating their arrival.They're made with konjac root, an herb found in Asia. The lobster supposedly tastes like the real thing so I will have plenty of melted vegan butter on hand. For real luxury there is Caviart, a faux roe that's made with seaweed.

Vegans can eat well for the holidays. There's a wide array of faux meats and fish that can satisfy any taste. The best parts is that no animals were harmed in the making of the Christmas meal.

Are You Ready

Thanksgiving is only two days away. Are you ready to handle the year's biggest day of cooking? If not, it's time to assess what you have and also take a break.

By now you should have almost everything. The turkey should be in the freezer and on the way to defrosting tomorrow. The ingredients for the sides should all be bought too. Have you thought about the vegans and variations of that lifestyle? Have you bought the almond and soy milks and whipped creams? What about the family and guests with allergies? Keep in mind that the almond byproducts may cause trouble to those with nut allergies. Stick with soy milk and coconut milk whipped creams. Do you have the ingredients for everyone's favorite dishes?Make the green bean casserole without the fried onions on top and there may be a riot.People love and even swear by tradition. Thanksgiving Day is not the day to get arty or creative with the green beans or any beans for that matter. At best a new twist on a classic recipe may be met with a wrinkled nose and a polite "No, thank you." At worst a tantrum and someone leaving the table with their plate full of just turkey and gravy. Also make sure that you've bought the right amount of wine (although someone may bring a bottle as a gift) along with soda, juice and seltzer for kids and non-drinkers.

As for yourself, use tomorrow as a day off(or at least until it's time to bake the pies). If you have the day off from work, then treat yourself. Have lunch out, whether it's at your favorite cafe or fast food joint.  Feast on the Popeye's chicken sandwich, treat yourself to Dunkin Donut's new Beyond Meat sausage patty sandwich. Go for the mani and pedi, with a huge cup of hot or cold Dunkin's or Starbucks. Hang out at Panera's with a croissant and their signature hot chocolate. Just relax and don't think about the day until the day happens. Dinner should be easy too. It's actually the night when the most pizza is ordered throughout the US. Order the double pepperoni and sauce. Or go for sushi or burgers - whatever make you and your family happy. If you're still antsy about Thanksgiving, you could bring out all the linens and steam or iron them. Doing either is surprisingly relaxing. The spouse and kids can also help by polishing the silver and making sure the crystal sparkles. Most importantly get to bed at a reasonable hour. Sleep is your best friend , especially when you have to be bright eyed and bushy tailed the next morning. End the night with a soothing mint or chamomile tea (I"m loving the Nana mint teas from Wissotzky Teas) to get you drowsy and sleepy.

Are you fully ready for the Super Bowl of cooking? If not, make yourself ready but don't  sweat it. No meal  - not even Thanksgiving itself - is worth worry and angst.

A Sunday Vegetarian Roast

One of the highlights of fall is a sit down Sunday roast dinner.It's a chance for the family to gather and even dress up. The only problem is that some of the family nowadays eschews meat. What to do ? Have a Sunday vegan dinner. Everyone can then come together and still have delicious foods.

Of course the crowning glory of any big meal is the main course. Home chefs relied on ham,  London Broil and chicken to take over however now it has to be a plant based main course. Luckily there is Beyond Meat. This can easily be molded and then roasted into a loaf. The plant based "red meat" can also be molded into skewered pieces , sort of like beef and lamb kabobs. This can be served over a vegetable rice pilaf  for a more Mediterranean spin on Sunday dinner. Mold the crumbles into meat balls for a nice addition to a Sunday pot of pasta. The brand also produces sausages which can  also be used instead of the meatballs or with them. These can also be used in a family sized paella , chock full of different veggies like tomatoes  and peppers.Keep in mind that stuffed acorn squash can be just as filling as any protein dish. Fill with tofu crumbles along with chickpeas and rice. Gardein also has some good vegetarian meat options. Their turkey cutlets come with their own gravy  - which tastes like the real thing. Serve stuffing with it and it's like having the real thing.

As for sides . some may feel cheated that they can't serve mashed potatoes to sop up the gravy. Yet you can serve them and you can have a side of gravy. There are a few gravies out there, such as vegan mushroom that can top a side of mash. You can also make one using vegetable broth and nutritional yeast. Flour and soy sauce give it color and thickness. Onion powder and Dijon mustard are also added in. To make the meal more filling serve noodles or rice. Serve with a sauce of butter and sage to give it more flavor. The Northern Italian dish of risi bisi, rice and green peas is the perfect side with a vegan meat loaf. The two ingredients are cooked in veggie broth for added taste and topped with soy Parmesan cheese. The original recipe calls for the Italian bacon pancetta however you can make an easy vegan coconut one. This is the season for Brussels sprouts and cauliflower. The first is good in a simple butter sauce while the second can be served mashed or fried.Another idea is tomatoes Provencale. It's a tasty dish, perfect for any loaf or with vegan chicken strips. It's tomato slices topped with breadcrumbs, garlic and oregano steamed in an olive oil and butter bath.

Yes, vegetarians and vegans can have a traditional Sunday roast with all the trimmings. Just sub in the main with plant based "meats". It's still the same kind of dinner with family, but with a modern , updated spin.

A Vegan Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah is the period of reflection in the Hebrew calendar. For those thinking about their impact on the world and its' future, this may be a good time to ponder how your diet affects the planet.. Going vegan can be considered a mitsvah, a good deed stemming from religious duty. Will you miss the traditional brisket?  Not really. There are plenty of good meatless  recipes for the holiday.

As any one will tell you there is nothing like a brisket.It 's usually the star of the holiday table and a substantial one at that. Luckily Beyond Beef, the closest vegan thing to actual ground beef has come out with Beyond Meat. These are crumbles that can be molded into a loaf.What's the binder? A water soaked loaf of bread. You could make it as a regular meat loaf and then slice it. For a more symbolic meal mold the "meat" into the traditional fish head symbolizing prosperity and fruitfulness. Use almonds for the scales and olives for the eyes.This brings up the traditional fish dish. Some more progressive home chefs may want to think about serving a seaweed salad. Seaweed, itself, could symbolize abundance and life - considering it does sustain in times of famine.Another idea is filling individual acorn squash with the Beyond Meat crumbles mixed with pomegranates and chickpeas for more meatiness and sweetness. For a more savory vibe, nix the pomegranates and add a drizzle of tahini sauce to each squash.

What about sides in a Rosh Hashanah  vegetarian dinner? You could try concia, fried zucchini coins taken from the Roman Jews. These are marinated first in a mixture of vinegar, garlic, and mint , then set to soak for two hours to overnight. They're then fried in a light neutral oil. Use extra virgin light olive oil for the best results. Another flavorful side is braised leeks with thyme and pomegranate. The leeks are baked side by side with thyme sprigs  tucked between the stalks. A sauce of  olive oil, dry white wine and pomegranate syrups is drizzled over the whole dish and then baked for forty-five minutes. Keep in mind that leeks come from sandy soil so make sure that they're are soaked in salty water to draw out the grit. It may take a few rinses to get them completely dirt free. A fun dish that will definitely have family and friends talking is mock chopped liver. It's a mix of walnuts and button mushrooms to get that dark liver color, and it's zinged up with onions, balsamic vinegar and garlic. Serve on fancy crackers or even challah bread.As for the dessert, a traditional honey cake that uses applesauce as a binder for eggs.

Have a thoughtful Rosh Hashanah dinner by going vegan. It's a small but important gesture to save the planet. It's also a chance to enjoy vegetarian food with family and friends.

Beyond Meat The Start Of Something

The talk all this past week revolved around a simple patty. Why was is so special? Because It's Beyond Meat and not only tastes like beef but has the same texture too. Will it spark a vegan revolution? Possibly.

Beyond Meat is a far far cry from when vegan meat  products first came on the market. Thirty years ago you had to visit a health food store to get so so tasting hotdogs and burgers. Some stores , such as The Happy Carrot in River Edge, NJ made a vegan tuna salad using soy, celery and some kind of vegan mayo that was eggless. The tuna salad was passable in taste and texture but you wouldn't want to eat it every day. Vegan restaurants were scarce. Forget the fast food chains. You could order a hamburger, hold the meat at McDonald's. That was it. Slowly but surely vegan foods started to appear in supermarkets. With each decade there was improvement. Companies such as Morningstar Farms and Gardein started to pop up with a cornucopia of soy based "meats'. There was bacon that sort of tasted like the real thing, better than bacon because there was no grease to deal with. The chicken nuggets tasted like the real thing. Gardein nailed it with their hamburgers and fish fillets which taste like the real deal.

Now there is Beyond Meat. The company is not new. It has been around since 2009, started by Ethan Brown in Los Angeles, CA.It's making the news now because Mr. Brown has come up with a plant based "meat" that can easily be subbed in for actual beef. His creation, will no doubt, have Morningstar  Farms and Gardein worried, especially if more and more supermarkets and big box stores like Wal-Mart and Target carry it. Mr Brown's mission is simple . He wants people to forgo any  kind of meat to save animals , save the planet and save his fellow human beings from cancer and heart disease. A plant based diet will cut down on slaughter along with positively influencing climate change and garnering more green land. People who eat less animal protein will have lower cholesterol and less of a chance of getting certain types of cancer. The burgers are already served at Harvard and Carl's Junior. TGIFriday's  also has the Beyond Meat faux beef along with Del Taco.
What is the meat made from? There is no soy, but cellulose from bamboo along with pea protein and refined coconut oil. The red beefy color comes from beet extract along with annatto, natural food coloring that originates from the tropical plant achiote.

Ethan Brown may be the force behind the new wave of veganism. He may make us forget the real beef deal to go for his Beyond Meat. What that means is only good - a planet that is less climate challenged along with less slaughter and less disease.