Ce n’est pas parce qu’on est végane qu’on ne peut pas profiter du temps des sucres! De plus en plus d’érablières offrent des menus entièrement ou en partie véganes. D’autres encore ont concocté des cartes végétariennes à partir desquels les véganes peuvent se composer une généreuse assiette. Car ne l’oublions pas, la clé de voûte de tout repas de cabane à sucre – le fameux sirop d’érable – est 100 % végane! Voici donc notre sélection des meilleures cabanes à sucre véganes à ajouter à votre carnet d’adresses.
The Cabane à Tuque every vegan Quebecer’s dream! The entirely vegan menu features vegan versions of traditional recipes: pea soup, cretons, “lardless” beans, and, of course, maple taffy on snow. You’ll also love that the maple grove is environmentally friendly, since it was built using natural and recycled materials. From the beginning of February to the end of April, you can go there in small or larger groups of up to 35 people for a rustic and vegan experience at its best!
La Pause Sylvestre offers an intimate dining experience: this tiny sugar shack seating just 24 allows you to enjoy a vegetarian meal in a cozy, magical setting. Maple grove owners Mario Tremblay and Carole Bouthillette place vegetable proteins at the heart of their culinary creations. To enjoy a scrumptious vegan meal there, you’ll have to call up your friends, because the entire cabin must be rented to order the fully vegan menu, where homemade sauerkraut, marinated beets, buckwheat pancakes and lots of maple syrup are all on offer. But heed this advice: it’s better to call ahead to reserve your place because even without a website, La Pause Sylvestre is ever-popular.
Bien qu’elle soit réputée pour son menu « carnivore », la luxueuse cabane Sucrerie du Domaine offre des alternatives végétaliennes qui ne passent pas inaperçues. Tourtière, cretons et fèves au lard y sont répliqués de délicieuse façon, pour le plus grand plaisir des véganes. Refusant les compromis, les propriétaires ont mis trois ans à élaborer leur menu. Pour trouver grâce à leurs yeux, les plats devaient se rapprocher le plus possible des saveurs originales, avec des textures moelleuses et onctueuses. En guise de dessert, les becs sucrés peuvent choisir entre un pouding chômeur, une tarte au sirop d’érable pur et de la tire d’érable sur la neige. Miam!
Domaine Labranche is a gourmet destination with everything to please those with dietary restrictions. Five menus are offered: traditional, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free. This way, everyone can enjoy their meal to the fullest! The vegan menu includes vegetarian cretons and scrambled tofu with maple syrup. Enjoy your meal in a warm and friendly atmosphere before going out in the snow for a taffy beak. A pure delight!
L’érablière Val des Rosacées, située au cœur de la région vallonnée de St-Joseph-du-Lac, tout près de Mirabel, accueille avec panache les adeptes de cabane à sucre en tous genres. En marge du menu traditionnel, on y propose des options végétariennes, en grande partie véganes. Mis à part le brie fondant et l’omelette, le reste du menu salé est végane. Et difficile de ne pas craquer d’emblée pour les célèbres “bines à Line”, le jambon végane et, bien sûr, les saucisses GUSTA! Chaque semaine, une énorme salade de fruits est préparée pour la clientèle végane… Et on prend soin d’y saupoudrer du sucre d’érable. Il y en a donc pour tous les goûts et – parole d’honneur – on en redemande!
There are clearly an increasing number of alternatives for vegans with a sweet tooth. Sugar shacks are adapting to the changing demands of their clientele and, for that, we applaud them! This delicious Quebec tradition has everything to please, so it’s great that they are evolving to accommodate as many diets as possible. And once you’re back in town, extend the pleasure at home with our vegan tourtière recipe.
Et de retour en ville, on prolonge le plaisir à la maison avec notre recette de tourtière végane et son ketchup maison… Vive le temps des sucres!
Vegan Grocery List: The Must-Haves
When we adopt a vegan diet, we must adjust our cooking habits, our ways of doing things… and (to some extent) the content of our pantry and fridge! What are vegan musts, these basic ingredients that make it possible to cook tasty, varied and bluffing vegan recipes? Here is the shortlist. Ready? Grab a pen or a tablet!
For every sweet tooth
Exit honey, which is directly the fruit of the bees’ work, and white sugar, whose bleaching processes sometimes require the use of animal bones. To delight our sweet tooth and brilliantly enhance our desserts without hurting animals and the environment, there are a host of delicious vegan alternatives. To be added to our grocery list:
Maple syrup
Mashed dates
Agave syrup
Molasses
Cane sugar
For a “milky way”
Fancy creamy lattes or sauce dishes? We can enrich our cream recipes while letting the cows graze the fields quietly, or the goats bleat at will in the pastures. Of course! Instead of animal dairy products, we simply turn to vegetable milks which – as a bonus – are free of lactose (thus, easy to digest). Suggestions:
Almond milk
Oat milk
Coconut milk
Rice milk
Hemp milk
Bye butter
In the morning, on toasted bread, nut butters prepared without dairy products are both nourishing and decadent (peanut butter, almond butter, pistachio butter, etc.). The same goes for vegan margarine, including among others the olive oil-based ones: it is delicious while providing us with a good intake of omega-3. Try it cold (on bread) or use it for cooking.
Egg replacer
Firm tofu, chopped, seasoned and cooked in a frying pan, looks like scrambled eggs served for breakfast or in a sandwich. If you want to prepare mousses and aerial meringues instead, you just need to replace the traditional egg whites with the water contained in canned chickpeas or their cooking water (called aquafaba). Chickpea flour makes it possible to prepare lovely omelettes without egg yolks. Agar-agar is unstoppable to obtain gelled textures. Not to mention oatmeal and starch powder, which can thicken sauces.
These staple foods make it possible to adapt a whole bunch of classic recipes into vegan recipes. It is therefore recommended to add them to our grocery list, to make them the pillars of our veggie pantry. And here is another gravy train: stop at the fresh section of our favourite grocery store to slip into our basket some GUSTA sausages, roasts, vegan cheeses, cretons and vegan pâtés. It makes life and meal preparation easier. And it’s finger-licking good! #Longlivedveganism
Header image credit: Vegan Liftz
Vegan Fashion: 5 Canadian Brands to Discover
Like vegan food, vegan fashion is intended to be cruelty-free. No leather, fur or wool on the menu: plant fibres, recycled fabrics and high-tech materials take over materials produced by animal farming. But it’s not only foreign designers like Stella McCartney who do the honours in fashion shows! Vegan fashion is also many Canadian designers’ craze, whose creations perfectly reflect their convictions. Here are 5 local brands that cook up fashion with a vegan twist.
The brand was launched in Montreal in 1995… long before veganism became topical/trendy! Matt & Nat, an industry pioneer in Canada, owes its name to the contraction of “Mat(t)erial” and “Nature”.
For the sake of social responsibility and authenticity, all clothing, shoes and bags made of vegan leather from the brand are produced from responsible and ecological fabrics (nylon, cork and recycled rubber tops). Proof: the bags and coats’ lining are made from plastic bottles! Nature even inspires the colour chart of Matt & Nat’s creations: we mainly find khaki, brown, rust, grey and black.
The Montreal-based company gleams with its refined, contemporary designs. They market them online and also distribute them in more than 800 outlets in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and Australia.
Jeane & Jax describes itself as a luxury vegan brand specialized in handbags and shoes. Inspired by Montreal’s multiculturalism and artistic flair, it offers fashionable accessories for all occasions (office, weekend and socialities).
All items bearing the Jeane & Jax label are made ethically, using high-quality vegan materials and metal parts free of heavy metals.
We love their elegant quilted pouches, their handy travel bags and their casual sneakers.
KOTN was born out of a desire to create conscientiously and to consume better. Specializing in ethical and high-quality basics, the Toronto label has been offering – since 2015 – certified organic Egyptian cotton essentials: t-shirts, shirts, dresses, trousers, etc. The simple cuts and pure materials of KOTN pieces make them, without fail, wardrobe classics you’ll like to wear for years. And even more so as we know that the label encourages fair trade and collaborative practices leading to a more prosperous future for the harvesters and designers it works with. For example, KOTN shows good citizenship by allocating part of its revenues to the construction and administration of schools in the Nile Delta, where it sources cotton.
Combining durability and functionality, Baro Drywear specializes in the manufacture of outdoor clothing as soft for humans as for the planet. Suitable for every temperature, its hi-tech creations are made of 80% recycled material.
In fact, reconditioned plastic bottles and nylon scraps from major manufacturers are Baro’s main materials. Water-repellent and warm (but light), the coats that bear its signature are also endowed with a strong potential of breathability—no wonder the brand was born in Vancouver, one of the dampest cities in the country.
Baro’s coat design is sober and sleek so that they can be worn in the city as in the countryside, for many years. Notable: the Vancouver brand proudly wears the PETA seal, attesting to its vegan manufacture.
Based in Victoria, British Columbia, the brand is the standard-bearer of the convictions of its founders, who advocate for the animal cause. They wanted to spread vegan messages on a large scale, in a friendly and humorous way. They teamed up with a small local printing shop and used vegetable ink to create t-shirts and totes with phrases as punchy as “Be Nice to Animals”, “Save the Planet, Go Vegan” and “I don’t eat anything that poops!”.
The small factory of Friend & Faux manages to market quality items, without waste and at reduced costs. But the brand does not stop there! It’s actively involved in the vegan cause by donating 10% of its profits to Hooves Farm Sanctuary, a Western Canadian vegan organization.
Veganism is not just about food. It is a way of thinking and a lifestyle that dictates the choices we make, including everything we choose to consume. And when it comes to fashion, Canadian vegan options are as varied as they are attractive. Dressed in our most beautiful vegan attire, how about a romantic vegan dinner? Our recipes section is full of original and easy-to-cook ideas, using a wide range of GUSTA products. No doubt, veganism is more fashionable than ever!
Veganism : 5 Myth-Busters
When talking about veganism, whether it be during happy hours or at dinner, some myths have a thick skin. We might even hear some things that are hard to digest! Let us sift through five preconceived ideas that cast a shadow over the vegan way of life and finally separate facts and fiction.
Myth #1: Vegans have a poor diet
The vitamin and protein intake needed by the human body is not only found in meat. If we adopt a vegan diet and ingest a proper combination of fruits, vegetables, cereals (millet, quinoa, buckwheat, etc.) and legumes (chickpeas, lentils, beans, peanuts, etc.) every day, there should be no deficiencies in sight, nor energy reductions. Our article “What are the Best Sources of Vegetable Protein?” explores this issue in depth.
Myth #2: Veganism is incompatible with professional sports
When they engage in intense physical activity, athletes spend a ton of energy. For performance, proteins have our back. Just like the fuel of the body: the more you run full tilt, the more you have to refuel! And to keep pace with high-calibre athletes, plant-based proteins have nothing to envy animals. Not convinced? Know that ex-boxer Mike Tyson and Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton are both champions AND vegans.
Myth #3: A vegan groceries costs big bucks
In addition to delicious fruits and vegetables, the vegan diet is full of pasta, cereals and legumes. When compared with dairy products, meat and fish, these products are selling at low prices. You can even stockpile them since they last longer!
Myth #4: Veganism is for the granolas and gipsies of this world
Absolutely not! While the hippies were among the first to support vegan food, the typical vegan portrait has become much more diverse over the past couple of years. Athletes, actors, singers and well-known entrepreneurs are adepts of veganism and yet not granolas for two pennies! Just think of Woody Harrelson, Moby, Brad Pitt and more celebs in this other blog post of ours.
Myth #5: Vegan food is redundant and little varied
Veganism is less restrictive than we think. Between legumes, cereals, pasta, fruits and vegetables, vegans have enough to fill their belly. More and more restaurants, brands and shops now offer vegan options and menus. And if we cook these with a hint of creativity (browse through our original recipes), sceptics would be proven wrong. It’s a real delight!
When we delve into the question, it’s clear that veganism deserves more exposure. And we realize, meanwhile, that vegan food has a little something seductive… Looking for plant-based sausages, roasts, burgers and cheeses? GUSTA products, made in Canada, are here! Discover them and buy them in grocery stores.
3 facts about GUSTA’s packaging
GUSTA is vegan out of conviction, but also out of love for the planet and its inhabitants. We are a conscientious and committed Canadian company with a vision of an ecological future and a real thirst for sustainable development. Consumers often ask: “But why, then, are your sausages, roasts, vegan cheeses and other products wrapped in plastic”? Clear and well-thought answers to 3 burning questions about GUSTA packaging.
Why did you choose plastic packaging?
To give shape to GUSTA products, we opted for the sausage maker’s method. But really, what does it mean? Simply put, the delicious ingredients that make our products are prepared, blended and then inserted into a plastic membrane, commonly known as a hose. This tube acts as a minimalist container because, in addition to containing the preparations, shaping the products and allowing them to be cooked, it ensures their distribution without compulsory recourse to overpackaging or repackaging, therefore reducing waste. The GUSTA products are thus presented as-is (coated with our adorable label) on the shelves of grocery stores. In the end, it is simple and easy with a minimal ecological footprint.
Is the plastic film used recyclable?
At the factory, the GUSTA manufacturing processes are run-in and set to a quarter turn: the production line is efficient and fluid, and waste is reduced to its purest expression. Its engineering required a great deal of time, reflection and rigour of execution. The only downside is that our current manufacturing processes do not yet allow us to use 100% recyclable packaging. They do exist on the market, but none of them allows us to produce our entire production with the same packaging. So rather than unduly lengthening the production process of GUSTA products using a membrane for moulding, another for cooking preparations and yet another for distribution, we opted for a single, but non-recyclable plastic casing. That said, as a vigilant and agile company, we always keep an eye on technological advances regarding plastic packaging. We hope to soon be able to rely on innovative processes that are both efficient and even more environmentally friendly. This is our ultimate goal!
Is the GUSTA plastic membrane edible?
Some GUSTA consumers have the reflex to put our products as-is on the BBQ, in a frying pan, in the oven or a pot. It would be quite nice and straightforward to be able to do that— but when you think about it, the incomparable taste of GUSTA preparations won’t turn up… And let’s be honest: NO ONE wants to eat plastic! As our plastic hoses are also handled during the transport and merchandising of GUSTA products, we must get rid of them when cooking our favourite dishes. But good news: there is nothing simpler and faster when you know the ideal technique, which is explained here, in sound and images!
Plastic membranes that coat GUSTA products have a purpose of serving, and doing so rightly… and in more ways than one! They are used to shape and facilitate cooking, and then as a packaging film for the effective marketing of GUSTA sausages, roasts, sticks, vegan cheeses, vegan cretons and vegan pâtés. Thanks to them, we turn our back on overpackaging and safeguard the earth. One stone, two shots!
3 succulent vegan restaurants in Vancouver
When you think of beautiful British Columbia, you immediately imagine greenery, wide open spaces and clean air. So it was only natural that Vancouver’s food scene should reflect the province’s image: natural, fresh and pure… much to the delight of vegetarians and vegans! Here is a close-up of three Vancouver B.C. vegan restaurants that we all want to experience.
This vegan landmark’s name is a play on words: we go there to meet… and to eat something other than meat! The three restaurateurs who founded MeeT in 2013 wanted to make veganism attractive, accessible, affordable, and even downright decadent. Its three Vancouver locations – Gastown, Yaletown and Main Street – serve comfort food in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Some examples? How about poutine topped with cashew sauce. Beer-battered burgers. Coconut bacon… Untuck your shirt before eating here. You’ll need the space!
The Acorn came in number 1 on Big Seven Travel’s list of 50 Best Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in the World. This eatery celebrates – through its menu and wine list – the riches of the Earth, honouring local producers, suppliers and artisans. Its fine vegetarian and vegan cuisine varies according to seasonal arrivals. The offer is extensive, the presentation of the dishes is meticulous, the décor is refined and the homemade cocktails served are to die for. The slogan of this award-winning Vancouver restaurant speaks for itself: “Veggies for the win!” And for good reason! Under Chef Devon Latte’s guidance and inventiveness, radish, cucumber, kale and shiitake mushrooms are shown in a whole new light, both in terms of textures and flavours. An unforgettable experience.
Vancouver is home to many popular and unique Asian restaurants, and vegan or vegetarian eateries are right there among them! Shortly after it opened, Do Chay Saigon Vegetarian was already a hit with the locals. Nestled on Kingsway, this restaurant offers a totally vegetarian and almost entirely vegan menu. The dishes are inspired by the culinary traditions of Vietnam but served with a modern flare. Between papaya salad, noodle satay and garlic eggplant, our hearts are swooning… An entirely fresh and unpretentious taste experience that honours Vietnam’s legendary street food cuisine.
We love to stock up on GUSTA products in grocery stores: they’re easy to find, taste great and they’re simple to cook. But on weekends, when we venture out for a bite to eat – or order in, these three vegan restaurants in Vancouver B.C. give us a well-deserved break by literally making our mouths water. Enjoy!
Three great vegan restaurants in Toronto
Toronto’s food scene is multifaceted, open to the world and diverse. T-Dot’s restaurants have everything to please the greatest number of people: from classic to trendy, their service is spot on and their menus inspired. And because Torontonians love healthy, fresh and tasty food, there are many vegan and vegeterian options to be savoured, whether you order online or stop by. Here are three of them!
Located on trendy Queen Street West, this restaurant-bar is very welcoming and is a popular place to go for an aperitif, a drink among friends, and succulent vegan tapas. It’s also an excellent destination for brunch, which is served all day long. Bibimbaps, burgers, sandwiches and salads – all vegan and delicious! Hello 123’s cocktail menu alone is worth a detour: it’s bursting with unique healthy choices, including pure juices and kombucha. The bowls, dishes, infusions and drinks created in this vegan eatery are in themselves culinary works of art, as their aesthetics are clean, colourful and refined. It’s simple, but dashing, tasteful and appetizing.
Do you miss travelling south? No problem! Just open the door at Planta, this Yorkville vegan restaurant with its bright airy space, and you’ll be instantly transported to South Beach! Ordering in? With locations in Miami and Toronto, the eatery has made plant-based cuisine its specialty: what you taste is healthy, sensible and unparalleled. Chef David Lee sources from suppliers whose practices are ethical, environmentally friendly and geared towards sustainable development. Cauliflower tots, fried mushrooms cooked like fried chicken, vegetable pasta, veggie pizzas, Habibi salad and vegan ice cream are just a few of the tasty dishes that you can also take-out.
To date, there are six Fresh locations, scattered throughout T.O. And on the other side of the border, there is also one on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. A pioneer of the vegan culinary scene, Fresh made its debut in Toronto in 1999. Its mission is to prove beyond any doubt that vegan food can be satisfying, energizing and appetizing. Made with natural, fresh, whole ingredients, their creations make mouth-watering food for longtime vegans and uninitiated ones, too. Artisan cocktails, cold-pressed organic juices, raw dishes and lavish meals (sandwiches, poutines, tacos, wraps and salads) delight the most discerning palate. And the plant walls, which brighten up the decor, are as amazing as they are lush. Enjoy!
Even though we love to cook vegan dishes and we are huge fans of GUSTA products (sold in grocery stores across Canada), from time to time we feel like hanging up our apron for lunch, brunch or dinner. These Toronto restaurants delight our taste buds and let us to savour the moment.
Montreal: The Best Vegan Restaurants
The Montreal gastronomic scene is abundant. Statistics prove it: the most significant number of restaurants per capita in Canada are located in Quebec’s metropolis! So there is something for everyone – and for all taste buds – in Montreal. And vegans are more and more spoiled for choice. Here are 6 Montreal vegan restaurants worth a visit. À table!
Located on the Plateau Mont-Royal, this intimate vegan restaurant specializes – by definition – in Japanese cuisine. Since 2014, chef Christian Manuel Ventura Alatorre has competed with imagination to surprise his clientele with creations as beautiful to look at as good to eat: sushi, poke bowls, tapas, Asian soups and salads. It is in this Montreal establishment that the menu offers customers the widest variety of vegan sushis in Montreal. Whether you have a sweet, savory or spicy tooth, you’ll find the maki or roll you need at Sushi Momo! Even gluten intolerants are treated with attention, every evening of the week except Monday. We go bananas for the tasty cuisine and warm atmosphere.
Lov currently has 5 addresses: two in the metropolitan area (downtown and Old Montreal), one in Laval, one in Brossard and one in Toronto. And the restaurant’s slogan speaks for itself: it serves well-being! Proof: as soon as you push the Lov door, the welcoming effect of the beautiful and bright space transcends! Qualifying itself as a fast fine (because it offers a gourmet AND accessible vegan menu), the restaurant makes us salivate thanks to its tasty dishes derived from collaborative know-how. Local ingredients are prepared with originality and brilliance. And the staff, doubtlessly friendly, knows how to inform and advise us at best. For meals with your loved one or with friends, it’s the milk-free cream of the crop!
All you need is a single visit to the restaurant’s Instagram page to go head over heels with Radis. Everything is tempting: the décor, the dishes, the approach and the establishment’s philosophy. The owners – Dominic St-Pierre and Ève-Marie Gobeil-Beaucage – are fond of Italian wines and dishes. Their 100% vegan cuisine gives local seasonal products star billing while carrying our taste buds to Tuscany, Calabria, Sicily or Umbria. And to pair our pizzas, pastas, calzones, arancinis and tiramisus, the menu offers natural, organic and biodynamic wines that are good until the last drop! We love the casual elegance of Radis and its unforgettable vegan creations.
Lola Rosa is both a restaurant and an online market. Its addresses on Parc Avenue, Milton Street and Place des Arts, in Montreal, invite us for on-site tastings or take away orders. And its website allows us to create our own shopping basket or shop for any of the Lola Rosa signature boxes. 100% vegan, the restaurant offers customers to eat differently and healthily, while preserving the environment. On the menu: starters, salads, burgers and a variety of dishes to share… or not! Curri, chili, quesadillas, nachos and even poutine await us at the turn. It’s comforting, friendly and ideal for a larger meal.
The institution describes itself as “a dynamic, fresh project”. Its ambition: to move towards a more sustainable way of life in the urban reality of 2020. To put it plainly, La Panthère Verte praises organic and local agriculture for cuddling the planet while filling our belly with delight! Fresh to the touch, its menu offers salads, falafels, shawarmas, burgers and bowls of all kinds (not to mention desserts to fall on the ground!), entirely vegan. To be consumed on-site or to be recovered «without contact» for an in-house tasting.
A pioneer of the vegan restaurants’ scene, Aux Vivres has been in the Montreal gastronomic landscape since 1997 and has set foot in Westmount, then on the Plateau Mont-Royal. Both restaurant and shop, we can find there very ultra-fresh vegan ingredients, preparations and dishes. Since the establishment prides itself on making the world a better place, one meal at a time. Everything on the menu is plant-based. And it’s not only healthy and good for the planet: it’s also so delicious! We love its juices, smoothies, bowls, comforting dishes, and so on! Tempeh factory, composting, reforestation program… Aux Vivres is a restaurant committed to a better world, and whose reputation is well established.
While it is easy to source GUSTA vegan products from Canada’s grocery stores and then cook them in every shape through our recipes, the fact remains that some lunches and evenings, you might just want to take a break and sit in the dining room of a restaurant. These Montreal addresses – approved by our team! – will delight the finest vegan palates. And let’s bet that new vegan restaurants will soon land in Montreal… See you next time!
5 Delicious Recipes for the Happy Hour
One of the great joys of summer? Meeting with your loved one, family or friends after a busy week to chat while sipping a glass of rosé! What if the pleasure could last longer by serving vegan tapas and appetizers on the terrace? Here are our suggestions of simple yet tasty bites for happy cocktail hours. Cheers!
Salty bites: vegan scones
Looking for a snack to munch on? Roll on the 3-4 courses served in small portions! No heavy decorum nor never-ending prep-time in the kitchen: we prepare our appetizers ahead of time and bring the plates while the wine (or the beer) is pouring. Exit the excessive cutlery, the food is at our fingertips. Either served hot or warm, we can focus on our guests and enjoy their company rather than having a date with the oven and the dishwasher. Psst: if we serve them The Edgy Vedge vegan savoury scones, they will eat it in the blink of an eye, GUSTA’s word!
Cheesy bites: vegan grilled cheese and mini omelettes
The best of the best: gratin. Whatever the form it takes, the young and not so young all want a piece. Some may squeal with delight, while others simply can’t resist the second round. So we make the most of the occasion to feature a variety of GUSTA’s vegan cheese. Served as tiny snacks, the Grilled Cheese Gugu shines a light on the Original and the Americano, while Liv B’s Chickpea Omelette Cups will make them fall under the spell of the Swisso. Gustatory love at first strike guaranteed!
Puff pastries with mushrooms and GUSTA sausages
The king of appetizers is still puff. Sweet or salty, it even pleases the picky eater who doesn’t have to get his fingers dirty! The icing on the cake? There’s a wide variety of vegan puff pastries! In this Mushroom Puff Pastries recipe, the Germaine GUSTA ground sausage is pulchritudinous. While wrapped in refrigerated vegan croissants, the GUSTA Brunch sausage has never looked so good! One might say it adds an aristocratic touch to any happy hour.
With sausages,seitan roasts and GUSTA cheeses, you can prepare delicious and varied vegan bites with a snap of the fingers. Buy from the biggest grocery stores in Canada, get inspired by the recipes section of this website and invite your guests. Let’s have a party, fuss and hassle-free. Let’s have a party!
Summer Salads: 3 Never-Dull Recipes
It’s no secret, summer implies freshness and lightness. As soon as the sun shines and the mercury soars, our appetite for hearty dishes melts like snow under the sun. The seasonal solution? Homemade summer salads to break bread with healthy, refreshing and colourful ingredients. Still not inspired? Here are some ingenious ideas to add punch to your salads.
Salads that carry you away
Taking off without passport nor luggage? Feasible! Let’s head to the garden, the fridge and the pantry of the kitchen! By pairing, for example, a few lettuces with pieces of GUSTA’s Italiana sausage, you make a stop in Napoli for lunch. For the evening, we let our taste buds sail to Santorini, Greece, by preparing the Mediterranean salad. It often only takes one or two unexpected ingredients to change the scenery at lunch or dinner quickly.
Spicy salads
Summer rhymes with caliente. So, why not give a shot of calor to our favourite salad? Especially when it is easy as pie: enhance it with herbs, aromatics or spices. A bouquet of parsley here and a pinch of spices there, just like this tasty Warm Cajun salad recipe, signed La Fraîche. It’s colourful, and it gives a plate or a move boost!
From salads to bowls
Buddha, poke. Single serving bowls are trendy. And rightly so! Nutrient-dense and varied, they are pure concentrates of freshness… and happiness! Especially since the only limit in terms of ingredients is our imagination. A sweet-savory combo? Yes! A mix of vegetables, seeds and fruits? Yes again! Warm proteins paired with raw foods, like in this korean bowl Yes, yes and yes again! Because the bowl is the 2.0 meal salad: it satiates and refreshes!
Reinventing salads is not rocket science: you just need a bit of imagination… and some good tricks! Want to share yours with the GUSTA community? Send your creative vegan recipes. No doubt, we will be bubbling with ideas and prove the sceptics wrong with forever fun salads!
What is Veganism Exactly?
The term vegan is on everyone’s lips. But do we truly know the veganism mission, scope and vocation? Here’s a brief overview of its meaning and the convictions of those who adhere to it. Because veganism is much more than a cool concept: it is a conscientious and thoughtful way of life.
Veganism – also known as integral veganism – is an extension of vegetarianism. Its leitmotiv is clear: as soon as one lives without exploiting animals, in any possible way, it is the whole planet that reaps the fruits. Therefore, as vegans, we do not swallow any products from animals and their farms (fish, meat, insects, eggs, honey, dairy products, etc.). And the content of our plate remains as tasty, colourful and nourishing!
A vegan lifestyle
But veganism is more than just a dietary practice. It is a philosophy of life rooted in ethical, health and environmental convictions. And these dictate every vegan buying behavior. In short: in addition to ingesting no animal food, vegans extend their beliefs to other areas of life (fashion, decoration, etc.). And since he or she critiques animal exploitation and cruelty, it goes without saying that he or she does not dress, treat or surround itself with any product from or tested on animals. Just think of leather bags, jackets or shoes, fur coats, sweaters, hats and wool scarves, or silk shirts, dresses, scarves and ties. Also, out goes cosmetics and medicines produced from animal by-products and tested on animals.
Celebrate life
A vegan refuses the abuse of any living being. In fact, by establishing itself on animal empathy and compassion, veganism has been celebrating life on earth in all its forms for several decades (because the Vegan Society was founded in 1944). No wonder many celebrities – listed in one of our previous articles – adhere to the vegan lifestyle.
The ethical and environmental awareness, as well as a keen desire to consume local and healthy products, leads more and more people to opt for veganism. If, like the 2.3% of Canadians who claim to be vegan, you want to indulge in tasty, healthy vegan food made in Canada, spot GUSTA sausages, vegan cheeses and seitan roasts in grocery stores across the country. And check out our recipes to prepare them in a thousand delicious ways.
What are the Best Sources of Vegetable Protein?
It’s not just athletes who can take advantage of protein! These biological macromolecules, composed of amino acid chains, allow the human body to build muscles, as well as strengthening the skin and internal organs (heart and brain first), eyes, hair, nails. Our immune system also needs proteins to generate the antibodies essential in the fight of infections. They also play a role in the regulation of the glycemic index, metabolism of fats and stimulation of energy function.
Protein is essential for everyone!
An adult needs to consume a minimum of 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. Of course, this daily intake increases in athletes and very active people. But good news: no need to eat red meat to fulfil our body properly! We can opt for a plant-based diet AND meet all our daily protein requirements.
That said, one challenge remains: most plant proteins are not considered “complete”. The human body needs nine essential amino acids to operate at full capacity. We call them so because the body can’t synthesize them. Among these, vegans need to pay particular attention to methionine and lysine and make sure to include them at all costs in their daily diet. Otherwise, expect deficiencies.
But why these two amino acids rather than others? Because no source of plant protein contains enough. Thus, wheat products and rice are full of methionine, but not lysine. On the other hand, legumes are full of lysine, but not methionine.
The key to a non-deficient vegan diet is the diversity of protein inputs. Therefore, if we make sure that we combine grains and legumes on our plate every day, we will get all the amino acids we need to run at full capacity.
The best sources of plant proteins (for 100g):
Did you know that Gusta’s seitan roasts and vegan sausages, made from wheat protein, have a good protein ratio? Enjoy them in a thousand different ways with, as a side dish, some legumes. Go to our “recipes” tab and have fun cooking good healthy meals!
Cendrine Browne: Her GUSTA ravioli recipe
GUSTA is proud to support local vegan Athletes. It was therefore natural to sponsor Cendrine Browne. Canadian Olympic cross-country skier, vegetarian for 1 year and newly vegan, she proudly wears our colors since last November.
Young, dynamic and talented, today she presents her vegan ravioli recipe featuring our sausages.
It has only been a few months since I partnered with GUSTA but I am already in love with their products and their values. I am so happy I get to represent a company with whom I share so much. On top of that, thanks to their products, being vegan has never been this easy!
I wanted to create a recipe that was easy to customize and for which you can easily use what you have on hand. This recipe is very easy to make and is also a fun project to do with the kids during the quarantine!
sauce of your choice (eg. simple tomato sauce, pesto, white sauce)
Instructions:
Making the dough:
Add the 2 ½ cups of flour to a food processor, the 4 flax eggs and the pinch of salt.
Pulse. Add a splash a cold water and continue to pulse until the dough forms a big ball. The dough must not be too sticky. If it is, add a bit of flour.
Place your dough on a clean and floured surface.
Knead the dough for a few minutes and make sure it is not too sticky.
Cut the dough into 4 equal parts. It’ll be easier to work the dough this way.
Cover the dough with a cloth so it doesn’t dry out and set it aside while you prep for Step 2.
Making the filing:
Cook the chosen vegetables (for example, sauté the mushrooms and onion). If you chose to use squash, it’s now time to take it out of the oven and to scoop out its flesh.
Add to the food processor the Gusta sausages, the cooked vegetables and the spices and/or herbs.
Pulse until wanted texture.
Making the ravioli:
Bring a big pan of water to boil.
On a floured surface, roll one of your four parts of dough
With a rolling pin (or a bottle if you don’t have one). The dough must be rolled very thin (2-3 mm in thickness)
On the rolled out dough, use a biscuit cutter (or a round glass) to cut out your ravioli. Repeat.
On half of the circles, add half a spoon of filing.
Top off the circles with filing with the other half of the dough circles.
Bring the edges of the circles together with a fork.
Repeat with the remaining dough and filing. Use the scraps of dough not to waste them.
*At this point, you can freeze the fresh pasta for further use.
Transfer the ravioli into the boiling water and cook for 12 minutes. Do not overflow the pan. Cook in small batches if you have a small pan.
When cooked, take the ravioli out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon.
To serve:
Serve the ravioli with any sauce you have on hand and with your favorite Gusta cheese. Top off with fresh parsley.
BON APPÉTIT!
These 10 celebs are vegan
You sometimes get the impressions that you’re all alone when you’re vegan… Family dinners, nights out with friends at the restaurant or happy hours after work are all moments when you can feel under scrutiny, as people ask you questions about your eating habits. Luckily, many celebrities are vegans! They can use their fame to spread the word about the diet and lifestyle they chose. Here are 10 celebrities that are vegan – who knows, you might be surprised to learn a few of them are!
Billie Eilish grew up in a vegetarian family in Highland Park, Los Angeles. In 2014, she decided to go a step further and to make the transition to veganism. The young singer even created, in collaboration with UberEats, a road trip map featuring stops at her favorite vegan restaurants across the USA. These included ATX Food Co. in Austin, Café Gratitude in Los Angeles, Love Life Café in Miami, and By Chloe. in New York.
The famous bodybuilder, actor and politician has transitioned to a 99% vegan diet. His fridge is full of almond milk and of plant-based protein sources. He has been a strong voice in the fight against the myth that high-performing athletes need to eat red meat, even taking part in the alternative-diet documentary film The Game Changers.
Miley Cyrus has been vegan since 2014. On top of eating vegan, she is an advocate for a cruelty-free lifestyle and, more particularly, cruelty-free fashion. She encourages buying vintage and clothes made from new, innovative eco-fabrics. She even collaborates with her favorite designers (Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney) to dream up bespoke outfits made in accordance with her values.
Actor Peter Dinklage had been vegetarian for 15 years before he went fully vegan in 2014. The meat you see him eat in certain Game of Thrones scenes is in fact… tofu! He is also an advocate for veganism at large, and has narrated the PETA-produced short film Face Your Food.
Model and actress Pamela Anderson is probably one of the most well-known vegan activists. Throughout the years, she has made the headlines for her participation in varied PERA efforts, most memorably by posing naked for their “I’d rather be naked than wear fur” campaign.
Benedict Cumberbatch
The star of the British series Sherlock mentioned his plant-based diet in three different interviews during the press tour promoting the Avengers: Infinity War movie in 2018. There’s no doubt about it – he’s a confirmed vegan!
The famous tennis star went vegan after being diagnosed with Sjögren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disease. Her doctor recommended a raw, vegan diet, which she enthusiastically embarked on in the hope of maintaining her performance on the court. She has since dropped the raw component of her diet, saying it was unsustainable, but is still eating plant-based.
Heartthrob Zac Efron has spoken to Teen Vogue in 2018 about his vegan diet. According to him, going vegan completely changed the way his body worked and how it metabolized food. He said he had more energy, and that he was sleeping better. This dietary change has also had a positive impact on his performance at the gym.
Natalie Portman hasn’t eaten meat since she was 9 years old. In 2011, after reading Jonathan Safran Foer’s Eating Animals, she became vegan on the spot. The proof that this book has had a lasting impact on her? She co-produced and narrated its big-screen adaptation! It’s clear she takes veganism to heart.
F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton has chosen to adopt a vegan diet for environmental reasons. He says his health has never been better and that he has no problem maintaining his muscle mass even without eating meat. He is such an ardent supporter of veganism that he has even invested in a London-based, vegan restaurant chain serving nothing but plant-based burgers!
We applaud these celebrities that use their influence power to increase awareness of the vegan diet and lifestyle, and help promote the advantages of going vegan. They contribute to normalize a lifestyle that, ultimately, just amounts to being kind.
