Cathy is the digital editor at Nourish plant-based living; a long time vegan, she delights in making vibrant plant-powered living accessible and welcoming to all. She firmly believes that the best things in life are cruelty free, and loves being part of a movement that’s bringing positive change for the health and wellbeing of people, planet and other species. When she’s not on her laptop, she can be found cycling around town, cooking delicious vegan dishes, enjoying time in nature, or practising her beloved Oki-do yoga.
A brand new free online course is set to provide lifesaving nutrition information and tools for participants around the world.
The One Healthy World program launches this week, offering a completely free masterclass in how to go plant-based – whether for health, the environment, animals, or a combination of reasons.
A transformational doctor-led program
As the new year begins, the free, six-week online nutrition and cooking class series will help participants from around the world meet their health and lifestyle goals in 2022.
The course will cover topics ranging from heart health and weight loss to meal planning and dining out. Sessions will encompass cooking demonstrations, panel discussions, inspiring testimonials, and responses to comments and questions.
The series is led by US nonprofit health organisation, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and is modelled on recent Physicians Committee nutrition programs that have helped participants transform their health.
“We know that a plant-based diet – paired with our proven learning format and lots of support – can dramatically improve class participants’ health in a matter of weeks,” says Physicians Committee Director of Preventive Medicine Josh Cullimore, MD, MPH.
Getting healthy together
The program will be delivered by expert presenters from multiple countries, making it accessible in English, French, Mandarin, Spanish, and a special English language program for the Indian subcontinent. Participants can join live via Zoom, access web-based resources, and watch recordings on demand in the languages of their choice.
Whether your goal is to improve blood sugar, control blood pressure and cholesterol, sustain a healthy weight, optimise fitness, or simply expand your repertoire of healthy and delicious recipes, this program will provide the tools you need, together with a community of other participants with similar goals.
Dr Cullimore is looking forward to welcoming participants who might have heard about the transformative potential of a healthy vegan diet, but weren’t sure how to get started. He also notes that the program will provide new tools, information and inspiration for people already on the plant-based path.
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Presenters include doctors, dietitians, chefs, food experts, and people who have transformed their own health with a vegan diet. In the video above, several of the experts share what participants can expect from the One Healthy World program.
One Health
As the coronavirus pandemic continues, lifestyle medicine experts such as Dr Cullimore emphasise the role of plant-based diets, both to help address the chronic diseases that make people most vulnerable to the virus, and also to prevent the next pandemic.
“One of the lessons of the pandemic is that human, animal, and planetary health are all interconnected,” he says. “A plant-based lifestyle reduces our environmental footprint and protects animals from exploitation, in turn dramatically reducing the risk of new zoonotic diseases, which jump from wild or farmed animals to humans”.
Australian presenter Dr Heleen Roex from Doctors For Nutrition agrees. “There’s never been a more critical time to focus on our health, both here in Australia, and as a global community – not only to protect ourselves during the acute threat of the current pandemic, but to create a healthier planet for all.”
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The One Healthy World class series launches on 14 January 2022 at 8am AEDT, with recordings available on demand the day after each class. Sign up at pcrm.org/onehealthyworld.
Australia’s most-loved savoury dairy alternatives, as featured in the Nourish Vegan Awards.
Whether you’re new to plant-based living, or simply haven’t been able to keep up with the ever-increasing range of options, the Nourish Vegan Awards are the ideal way to discover the best vegan food and lifestyle products, restaurants, and plant-based advocates, as voted by the Nourish community.
With Veganuary underway, we are taking the chance to spotlight some of the fabulous brands from the latest awards – today exploring the world of vegan alternatives to dairy milk, cheese and butter. And don’t miss our roundup of sweet dairy alternatives in Part 2.
Coffee lovers and baristas alike have been frothing for Bonsoy since the eighties. With such a dedicated following, we weren’t surprised to see them win Best Plant-based Milk both years of the Nourish Vegan Awards so far. Made from a variety of whole, organic soybeans, this is a natural, full-bodied soy milk that’s also an excellent source of quality plant protein. The range now also includes a creamy, delicately-nutty almond milk that also froths like a dream. Bonjoy!
Oatly
Oat milk is fast becoming a favourite in the world of plant-based milks, so it’s no wonder that oat milk pioneers Oatly have been voted to the finals both years of the Nourish Vegan Awards. Their milks – and expanding range of other dairy alternatives – all feature the nutritional goodness of oats, and minimal environmental impact. It’s hard to get any more oatsome than that!
Vitasoy
Vitasoy use quality, whole Australian almonds, soybeans, and other plant-based favourites to create their smooth and delicious range of milks. There’s something for everyone here, including protein-enriched options, some varieties with added prebiotics, and a ready-to-drink chocolate almond milk for the sweet tooths.
Plant-based cheese
Plant-based cheese
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BioCheese
We’ll be forever grateful to BioCheese for bringing us a range of vegan cheeses that everyone can enjoy, and the Nourish community clearly concurs: after reaching the finals in 2020, they won Best Vegan Cheese in 2021. The widely-available and diverse range includes original and cheddar slices and blocks, halloumi, pizza shred, and a dreamy, soft feta. Yes, please.
Made With Plants
The Made With Plants brand is a passion project of its founder Cale Drouin (yes, a vegan founder named Cale!), whose aim is to make tasty plant-based options available to all. Among the popular Made With Plants range is their array of dairy-free cheeses. From parmesan to mozzarella, they have all your favourites covered, and they melt like a dream. Little wonder they scooped a finalists’ award in the 2021 NVA Best Vegan Cheese category.
Sheese
Sheese is deservedly one of the most popular dairy-free cheese ranges around, tasting, stretching and melting just like the real thing. With a wide range of flavours and styles available, you’ll find the right kind for any purpose, whether it’s their Sheese Blocks, Creamy Sheese, Grated Sheese, or Sheese Slices. They’re healthier, delicious, widely stocked in supermarkets, and offer great taste for amazing value – what’s not to love?
Buttery non-dairy spreads
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Nuttelex
A rightful staple in fridges around the country, Nuttelex took home the winner trophy in the new category of Best Vegan Spread at the 2021 Nourish Vegan Awards. Australian pioneers in dairy-free buttery spreads, Nuttelex have been spreading the love since 1932 – and they just keep getting better, now with an amazing range of spreadable blends encompassing coconut oil and olive oil varieties.
Naturli’ Vegan Spreadable
A nominee for Best Vegan Spread in the 2021 Nourish Vegan Awards, Naturli’ Organic Vegan Spreadable is made with organic rapeseed, coconut, shea and almond. Whether melted over warm sweetcorn, used in baking, added to sauces, or spread on bread, this is a great option when you want an option that’s just like butter, but better. As Naturli’ say: “eat plants – there is no planet B”!
Lauds Cultured Oat Butter
Lauds were nominated in the Vegan Cheese and Vegan Spread categories in the 2021 NVAs. Hailing from Tasmania, this brand is on a heartfelt mission to ‘spread the good’ with their range of dairy alternatives. Don’t miss out on their Cultured Oat Butter – a decadent, creamy and spreadable butter that melts in your mouth, widely available at independent supermarkets and online.
If you've never owned a Dutch oven before (and even if you have), Aussie brand Crumble is guaranteed to win your heart.
Over the last 24 months, many of us have become avid home cooks. With health and wellbeing a priority, we have embraced cooking as a way to nourish and nurture ourselves and our loved ones. As well as the nutritional and taste benefits that come with homemade meals, we have also been taking pleasure in the mindfulness, ritual and connection that comes with spending time preparing and sharing food.
For one Melbourne couple, the importance of home cooking led them to found a new company in 2020. Enter Crumble Co: the Aussie brand equipping home chefs with an item of cookware they will cherish for life.
Going Dutch
If you’re new to the concept of a Dutch oven, allow us to welcome you to your new culinary BFF. This is an ultra-versatile kitchen essential that you can use on the stovetop, in the oven, and as a sophisticated serving dish for the centre of the table.
Think of your Crumble as a durable heavy-duty pot that lends itself to everything from sautéing to simmering to baking, and more, with the advantage of being easy to clean, and an aesthetically delightful addition to your home.
Crumble co-founder Chloe is passionate about cooking as sensory as well as nutritional therapy. “In an era of takeaway and delivery, we believe in honouring the joy and satisfaction that comes from preparing a meal yourself, in your kitchen, for the people you love. With quality equipment, every one of us can be confident in preparing simple, nourishing meals that feel achievable and yet exceptional.”
Nurturing your inner gastronome
Anywhere you’d use a heavy skillet, large saucepan, slow cooker, bread oven, or even deep-fryer, this pretty pot comes into its own. The possibilities are endless, whether you’re making sourdough bread or other baked goods, soups, stews, and other one-pot dishes such as this flavoursome Mexican jackfruit and rice, shallow or deep frying, simple boiling, or for perfect rice.
Like all Dutch ovens, Crumble pots are flavour and texture champions, because they allow for even distribution of moisture, heat, and seasoning. Crumble’s unique SaveurCycle moisture and flavour lock technology takes this a step further, ensuring flawless results every time. The triple-layered non-stick enamel coating also enables easy non-toxic cooking and cleaning (including in the dishwasher if you like). Not only that, but these handcrafted pots look beautiful on your stovetop, which is where many people keep theirs.
What all this means is that you’ll actually use it, and reap the rewards in terms of physical health and overall wellbeing. As Chloe says, “Nurturing your inner gastronome is sensory therapy, a stress-reducer, a relationship-builder, and a creativity-enhancer”.
Unlike other brands, Crumble use a simple, direct-to-consumer model that enables a lower price and exceptional customer service. Co-founder Chloe is the head of Head of Customer Experience, and is clear about this as a core value: “For us, nothing is more important than delivering quality products and quality customer service at a price that doesn’t break the bank. We are firm believers that big brands can’t meet the needs of today’s customers because they are too expensive and too top-heavy. At Crumble, we offer a personable experience that makes our customers feel good,” she says.
And, reflecting their focus on customer service and made-to-last quality, Crumble Dutch ovens come with a lifetime warranty, and a 30-day home trial with free returns (shipping included) so you can try out your purchase and return it with no quibbles if it doesn’t work out.
Alongside these priorities, Crumble have a genuine commitment to giving back to the community. From the start, they’ve partnered with FoodBank, Australia’s largest food relief charity, donating five meals for Aussies in need with every pot sold.
*** Each purchase comes with a free bonus pack containing a silicone spoon and oven mitt, and special-edition stainless steel cookie knob (pictured above). Head to the Crumble website to browse the glowing reviews, explore the colours, and place your order today.
Since its launch in 2014, the Veganuary campaign has seen massive growth, both in its native UK and globally. It’s the month-long vegan challenge that sees millions of people dip their toes into a plant-based lifestyle every January – more often than not, making beneficial changes well beyond that. Yet to get involved? There’s never been a better time!
With global pandemics and the climate crisis looming large, it’s no surprise many are feeling a little worried heading into 2022. If you’d like to take an empowering and proactive step to enhance your wellbeing and create positive change, why not ditch the animal products this January and embrace the power of plants by taking part in Veganuary?
Multiple benefits
Avoiding meat and dairy is the single best way to help animals, protect the Earth’s climate and ecosystems, reduce the risk of new infectious diseases, and improve your health. Benefits of a plant-based lifestyle include an optimised immune system, reduced risk of chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease, and increased life expectancy.
Over 1.5 million people have signed up for Veganuary since the campaign started, and data from Kantar suggests that ten times more participate informally each year.
Veganuary’s 2021 campaign attracted more than half a million registrations, with animals cited as the main reason (46%), followed by health (22%) and the environment (21%). 82% of survey respondents who were not vegan when they signed up had maintained a dramatic reduction in their animal product consumption 6 months later, with 30% still eating a fully vegan diet, 38% eating at least 75% less meat and other animal products than pre-Veganuary, and 14% eating at least 50% less.
One chef’s journey
Sydney-based recipe creator and mum Clarissa Kocovski (aka The Nourished Chef) has not looked back since making the shift to a vegan lifestyle.
“My plant-based journey started with wanting to live my life with as much kindness and compassion as possible. I educated myself about what dairy and animal based products can do to the human body and I came to the decision that I no longer wanted to put those kinds of foods into my body,” she says. Since going plant based, she has enjoyed noticeably higher energy levels, along with healthier hair, skin and nails.
Clarissa is also passionate about sustainability. “Working with plant-based recipes in my home kitchen has been such an eye-opening journey. I not only choose plant-based cooking for my health but essentially for our planet. I had no idea what kinds of negative effects our diets are having on the planet and how so many people are overlooking it.”
Easier than ever
Through her platform as The Nourished Chef, Clarissa loves helping others discover the power of plants by showcasing the ingredients and brands she uses. Many of these involve simple switches to plant-based alternatives, which make it easier than ever to adapt our favourite recipes. For example, speaking about non-dairy milks she says, “I now use plant milk like Califia Farms oat and almond milks, which are creamy, delicious and fortified with calcium”.
The beauty of a one-month challenge like Veganuary is that it sets you up for success with structured support, answers to all your FAQs, and the camaraderie of taking part along with a community of other participants. It’s long enough to notice a difference and really take a ‘bite’ out of a new way of living, but is less daunting than making a permanent commitment.
Clarissa is enthusiastic about the campaign. “Veganuary is a fantastic concept as it promotes and educates the community on a global level … Anything that gets the word out for plant-based cooking and lifestyle certainly has the tick of approval from me!”
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A record-breaking 600,000 registrants are expected for the January 2022 campaign. Join ‘the new year’s revolution’ at Veganuary.com.
Summer’s here and, with the holidays around the corner, festive feasts are top of mind for many of us. Here we share some top tips for a joyful plant-based entertaining experience, together with a winning plant-based menu suggestion.
As we dust off our aprons in anticipation of the get-togethers we’ve all been waiting for, it’s understandable to feel a tinge of apprehension about hosting a festive lunch or dinner party, even as we count down the days in excitement about upcoming reunions.
Below are our go-to tips for successful entertaining, complete with suggestions for a delectable plant-based menu that will delight even the most sceptical of guests.
1. Embrace big-plate dining!
There are so many advantages to planning your feast around large dishes that you can prep ahead: they allow your guests to eat with their eyes as they appraise the options, serve themselves what they fancy (including more of what they most enjoy), and – best of all – they let you partake in the festivities, rather than constantly dashing to and from the kitchen.
2. Think in rainbows
“Eat the rainbow” is a common refrain we hear from nutrition experts, and rightly so. The more varied, colourful foods we eat, the more we’ll automatically be eating vibrant and health-promoting fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds and legumes. Brightly-coloured dishes are a beautiful way to show off the bounty of plant-based living and contrast with the more monochrome colours that characterise conventional spreads.
3. Include traditional touches
You can nod to tradition in so many ways: a splash of rum in your chocolate tart, a succulent store-bought vegan roast at the centre of the table, a plentiful supply of roast veggies and gravy amidst the spread. This is a great way to show that we can enjoy all the best things in life, vegan style – and win over even the die-hard traditionalists.
4. Focus on ambiance
Food psychologists tell us that the vibes matter just as much as the vittles, as people’s perception of a meal is closely linked with how much they enjoyed the atmosphere. With that in mind, the little touches are worth it. Whether it’s fairy lights or special glassware, homemade decorations or little gifts (consciously sourced and wrapped, of course), include these in your party prep – and don’t forget the playlist!
A winning menu
The Nourish recipe collection is packed with inspiration, so you can scroll at your leisure for tried-and-tested dishes we love. Check out the entertaining tag for some real showstoppers, but don’t stop there. Sometimes the simplest salads can be the stars of the show, especially when you’re putting together some colourful platters to share.
Not sure where to start? Here’s a suggested menu that we think ticks all the boxes!
If you’re wondering how to navigate the party season as a vegan, here are some great tips from Nourish Editor, Rachael. The takeaway message? Rather than being a source of friction, our plant-based food choices can be a wonderful way to plant some seeds of change, as long as we go in with this mindset. After all, food offers the basis for connection – both with each other and with new ideas.
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