Earth Day 2022: We tried eating plant-based and this is how it went

This Friday marks the annual Earth Day celebration, a day dedicated to all-things planet-loving! In today’s blog, we’re chatting about the ways we can all help our planet in time for Earth Day 2022 and giving tips on how you can make your exante journey plant-based and planet-friendly one meal replacement at a time…

What is Earth Day?

For those who don’t know, Earth Day is a day dedicated to celebrating our planet, discussing climate change and sharing ideas for how we can make sustainable changes in our everyday lives. This year, the theme is #InvestInOurPlanet which questions how we’re investing in making positive changes for our planet to preserve and protect health, families and livelihoods.

How can I help?

Feeling inspired by Earth Day 2022, but not sure how you can implement positive change into your life? Don’t worry, EarthDay.org offers plenty of simple and effective ways to make small but positive changes in your life.

Let’s check some of them out:

Use internet, not trees
Go paperless at your bank
Fight climate change with diet change
Calculate your foodprint
Push for plant-based options
Practice a simple act of green everyday

One of the main ways we’re going to be making greener choices this Earth Day is by switching up our diet to include more plant-based alternatives. In the last couple of years, more people have become increasingly intrigued by plant-based alternatives and have tried switching up their everyday meals to try more vegan options. Now more than ever, switching to a diet that’s more heavily influenced by plant-based meals is becoming easier.

Why should I go plant-based?

There aren’t just benefits for our planet when it comes to switching to plant-based, it’s also awesome for your health too! It’s no secret that vegans are seen as super health-conscious because of their diet, but are there actually any proven benefits to going plant-based? Check out what Dr Sara Ryding says:

Metabolism benefits: Some studies have shown a link between veganism and an increased metabolism.
Cardiovascular improvement: Thanks to the diet of grains, pulses and veggies, research has shown link between veganism and a decreased risk of heart disease.
Cognitive benefits: Some studies on specific nutrients from the vegan diet have shown an improvement in cognitive health. (1)

If you want to find out more about all things veganism, you can read the full article here

How do I become vegan?

Feeling inspired? So are we! We’re ready to give you a helping hand with our yummy, low calorie plant-based recipes, perfect for kicking off your vegan diet!

No-Bake Carrot Cake Protein Bars

The perfect treat for breakfast or even just a snack, these no-bake carrot cake bars have gotta be your new go-to for a yummy vegan alternative.

Ingredients

1 cup coconut flour
½ cup protein powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch salt
½ cup mashed carrots
¼ cashew butter or nut butter of choice
2 to 6 tablespoons coconut milk
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
¼ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup coconut flakes or shredded coconut
⅓ cup shredded carrots roughly chopped

Instructions

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk.
Add all your liquid ingredients, gently adding the coconut milk, one tablespoon at a time.
Mix together with a spoon, until a dough-like consistency begins to form, then continue mixing the ingredients with your hands.
The dough will start to clump together. If the mixture is too dry, add more coconut milk.
Fold in the coconut flakes, walnuts and chopped shredded carrots.
Firmly press the dough into a parchment-lined baking pan. Flatten and spread the dough into an even layer.
Chill in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.
Slice into squares or rectangles and enjoy!

Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Our go-to for a quick, healthy lunch that’s sure to impress the whole family!

Ingredients:

1 head butter lettuce
10 oz extra firm tofu
2 tablespoon xanthan gum
2 tablespoon olive oil

For the sauce…

⅔ cup salted natural peanut butter
½ lime, juiced
2 teaspoon stevia
1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
Hot water

Instructions:

Add all sauce ingredients except water to a bowl and mix well. Add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time and whisk until desired consistency is achieved (should be pourable but thick).
To make tofu crunchy, it is typically flipped in cornstarch before frying, which is not approved on a keto diet. So instead, we will substitute cornstarch for xanthan gum.
Cut the tofu into small pieces, place into a bowl, add xanthan gum, and mix well.
Heat a little oil in a nonstick skillet. Add your tofu. Stir-fry until golden brown, about 10 mins.
Add half of your peanut sauce to the pan. Stir-fry for another 3-5 minutes. As the sauce browns, it will form small crispy pieces around the tofu.
Put a few lettuce leaves on a large plate. Fill each lettuce cup with a scoop of the tofu mixture and garnish with seeds, peanuts and chives. Enjoy!

Explore our other recipes

We hope you loved finding out more about the world of plant-based- we certainly did! If you’re thinking of starting up your own plant-based journey, we’d love to hear more about it. Be sure to tag us in all your plant-based creations and Earth Day celebrations on our Instagram and Facebook pages – we can’t wait to see what wonderful vegan treats you’re enjoying.

Amelia Dunn

Writer and expert