November is World Vegan Month, and that means a celebration of the progress of the vegan movement and highlighting the accessibility of the vegan lifestyle which serves to educate those who are interested in the vegan lifestyle or switching to a vegan diet.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics appropriately planned vegetarian and vegan diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.
Today the number of people switching to vegan only days are on the rise; from trying the vegan diet for 21 days or a month and then making a complete switch to veganism. B-well provides alternatives to known products that are healthier for you at a fairly affordable price – who said eating healthy should be expensive?
South Africans are known for their love of meat and many see switching to a vegan diet to be particularly difficult however, knowing the benefits might play the part to making it a lifestyle choice. Vegetarians and vegans are a lower risk of certain health conditions, including ischemic heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain types of cancer and obesity.
The vegan diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and for athletes. With a low intake of saturated fat and high intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, soy products, nuts and seeds are characteristics of vegetarian and vegan diets.
B-well offers all vegan/ vegetarian eaters a wide variety of plant-based products that cares about your health and the environment in which you live in. With this being said, we have developed a Vegan cookbook providing you with a variety of recipes that are cruelty-free and plant based. With growing evidence indicating the health benefits of this diet, it has become apparent that ‘Veganism’ is not a trend, but a legitimate way of life with many, many health benefits.
Visit B-well’s website at www.bwellfoods.co.za to download your free copy of the Vegan Cookbook. They’ve also shared an easy peasy recipe for a light lunch or dinner on a warm day.
Refried Black Bean Mexican Lettuce Wraps
When all you need is something quick and something tasty. Where convenience doesn’t mean compromising on health and nutrition. This hearty black bean mix with peppers, spices and lime packs a wholesome number of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory elements too and is super quick to get ready. Fibre-rich for stomach health, ingredients for extra benefits!
Serves: 4
Time: 20 min
Level: Easy Peasy
What you’ll need:
- 3 tbsp B-well Canola and Extra Virgin Olive Oil Blend
- 1 can black beans or 400 g cooked, rinsed and drained well
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ turmeric
- ½ tsp smoked sweet paprika
- 500 g portobello mushrooms, sliced
- ½ red or green pepper, finely diced
- 1 mielie (corn on the cob), or ½ can of whole kernel corn
- 1 avocado
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 handful fresh coriander, chopped
- 1 chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lime, cut in wedges
- 1 cup of plain yoghurt
- 1 head of lettuce, full leaves removed
How to make:
- Boil the mielie in a large pot of boiling water until tender, then drain and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and fry the onions until golden and cooked. Add in the garlic and fry for 1 min before adding the black beans.
- Fry the beans, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick. Fry off all the liquid.
- Add the spices, red/green pepper and stir in the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 6-8 min or until the mushrooms are well sautéed.
- Transfer the black bean mixture to a bowl, wipe the pan clean and cook the mielie over medium heat with a little extra B-well Canola and Extra Virgin Olive Oil Blend until golden and just slightly charred. Remove, and allow to cool before cutting the kernels off. Set aside.
To serve
- Wash and dry each lettuce leaf well. Then stuff the bean mixture, mielie kernels, avocado, coriander and chilli into the lettuce leaves to create a boat. Serve immediately with lime wedges. To eat, wrap the filling into the lettuce leaves, dip in some yoghurt and take a delicious bite! YUM!
