Veganism has surged in popularity in recent years leading to demand for plant-based foods and recipes. Many are vegan because of animal welfare concerns. However, the growing awareness of the ethical and environmental impact of animal agriculture are encouraging many others to make a dietary switch. And of course, there are the health benefits. For my husband and I, the rise of appealing meatless alternatives, like OMN!MEAT, have inspired us to consider a flexitarian diet.
Disclaimer: I was given a media sample of 3 packets of OmniMeat to try. While some of the information below is extracted from OmniMeat’s press release, the thoughts, opinions and recipe below are all my own.
WHAT IS A FLEXITARIAN DIET?
It might sound like a lot of flexing is involved (haha!) but no. A flexitarian diet is simply one that consists mainly of plant-based foods with some meat, dairy and fish. It’s a lot more flexible than a vegan or vegetarian diet, and definitely more flexible than my husband’s tight hamstrings. In fact, a recent survey revealed that 2 in 5 Singaporeans are Flexitarians. Here’s some reasons why you should give it a try too.
It’s better for your health.
We still eat a fair amount of meat, but we try to eat meatless at least once a week. My husband has gout and high cholesterol and, on top of all that, an uncontrollable sweet tooth! Including more vegetables and cutting down on meat has helped to keep things in balance while allowing us not to feel totally deprived.
It’s effective for weight management.
To lose weight for my wedding, I went on a flexitarian diet of 80% plant-based and 20% fish and chicken for 8 months. Cutting out red meat and focusing mainly on fruits and vegetables really curbed my appetite and increased my energy. Combined with juice fasts and high cardio and strength training exercises, I lost 6 kilos and toned up.
It’s easier to commit to and sustain.
As a foodie and cookbook author, strict diets are impossible for me to follow. I just love food too much and hate feeling like I can’t eat what I want. However, a flexitarian diet allows me to watch my weight while enjoying the occasional indulgence. It’s far more manageable and doesn’t feel restrictive. Plus, going vegan just once a week is good for the planet.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF MEAT EATING
The livestock industry is one of the biggest contributors to climate change. It emits more greenhouse gases than all our cars, trucks, trains and planes combined! Scientists have warned that if we don’t change our contemporary lifestyle and reduce our carbon footprint, the global average temperature will increase by over 2ºC by 2050. Earth will no longer be habitable.
Reducing our meat intake can help to reduce not just our carbon footprint, but our water footprint too. Did you know it takes 4650 litres of water to produce a 300g steak, compared to just 72 litres for 300g of vegetables? Raising animals for food is also highly inefficient as it requires a lot of land.
HEALTH IMPACT OF MEAT EATING
Meat eaters are at a higher risk of certain health conditions, including ischemic heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain types of cancer and obesity. The World Health Organization has classified processed meat (eg. bacon, sausages, ham) as a carcinogenic and red meat as probably carcinogenic to humans. Additionally, the use of antibiotics in farm animals as growth promoters and for the prevention and treatment of animal diseases has generated antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This may be transmitted to humans, making diseases more difficult to treat.
LET’S GREEN MONDAY
Even if you are not ready to give up your favourite meat-based foods, you can still do your part. Going vegan on Mondays (or just one day a week) reduces carbon emissions and improves your health. We find that it also makes us more mindful of what we eat on the other days of the week.
Vegan meals are no longer boring salads or endless amounts of broccoli and tofu. There are so many mouthwatering recipes available that you won’t even realize that it’s meatless. You can recreate any dish with meat replacements like textured vegetable protein (TVP), homemade seitan or meat analogues like OmniMeat. It’s so easy to go Green Monday with all these delicious options.
WHAT IS OMNIMEAT
This plant-based protein is made from pea, non-GMO soy, shiitake mushroom and rice. Unlike meat, OmniMeat contains no cholesterol, is antibiotic-free, hormone-free and cruelty-free. It is 86% lower in saturated fat and 66% lower in calories than pork, while being much higher in fiber, 260% higher in calcium and 127% higher in iron. However, it’s not gluten-free.
“The name, “OmniMeat”, (refers to) its omni-purpose in application. In terms of texture, it is succulent, tender and juicy and can be seasoned in many ways. It perfectly caters to Eastern flavors and culinary cultures. The versatility of OmniMeat is a dream to both vegetarians and meat-lovers as they can freely and creatively incorporate it into infinitely healthier and more environmentally friendly recipes,” ~ David Yeung, Founder of OmniMeat and Green Monday.
Launched in April 2018, OmniMeat is widely used by numerous internationally acclaimed restaurants (I personally recommend Pizza Express meatless pizzas!!) and is available at most grocery stores in Singapore. There’s also many delectable OmniMeat vegan recipes available on their website.
VEGAN THAI LETTUCE WRAPS WITH OMNIMEAT
When I was given a media sample of OmniMeat to try, I decided to make Vegan Thai Lettuce Wraps. Also known as Larb Gai, this spicy Thai salad is usually made with chicken mince meat.
Upon opening the packets, I noticed that the texture of OmniMeat was quite sticky. This would make it ideal for rolling into “meat” balls or burger patties. Usually, you would have to use a binder like an egg (or a flax egg for vegans) to make sure your burger patty does not fall apart. So I was quite pleased that the texture of OmniMeat allows for that option. Will definitely have to try making an OmniMeat burger next time!
Unlike other brands of meat analogues, OmniMeat was created with Asian cuisine and culinary practices in mind. It is perfect for steaming, pan frying or even roasting in the oven.
We thoroughly enjoyed OmniMeat. It was chewy, savoury and absorbed all the flavours of my seasonings in this Vegan Thai Lettuce Wrap. The bonus was it made going for seconds guilt-free! Try out my super simple recipe and let me know what you think!
Try these meatless creations!
- New Year’s Day Black Eyed Pea Salad
- Vegan Eurasian Devil’s Curry
- Beetroot Risotto with Spiced Nuts & Feta
- Spiced Peanut Tofu Bowl
- Spicy Pumpkin Pasta (remove the bacon for a meatless option!)
Vegan Thai Lettuce Wraps with OMNIMEAT
Description
Perfect for those meatless Green Mondays when you want something delicious, while feeling good about yourself for helping out the planet, this Vegan Thai Lettuce Wrap with OmniMeat is super easy to make. So yummy and clean tasting, go ahead and help yourself to guilt-free seconds or thirds!
Ingredients
FOR THE MINCE:
- 230g x 3 packets OmniMeat
- sesame oil, for cooking
- small knob ginger, sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 chillies, sliced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 3 stalks lemongrass, smashed & sliced thinly (white part only)
- 4 tablespoons mirin
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
TOP WITH:
- 2 large limes, juiced
- 300g mung bean sprouts,
- 2 carrots, shredded
- fresh basil
- fresh peppermint
- spring onion, sliced
- cilantro, sliced
SERVE WITH:
- lettuce
- cucumbers, sliced
- roasted sesame seeds
- crushed peanuts
Instructions
In a large saucepan, heat up some sesame oil. Sauté garlic, ginger, onion, chillies and lemongrass until fragrant. Add in the OmniMeat, mirin, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce and white pepper. Keep simmering until the OmniMeat soaks up the sauce. Turn the fire off. Drizzle in the lime juice, raw bean sprouts, shredded carrot, fresh basil, peppermint, spring onion and cilantro. Serve with lettuce, cucumbers and sprinkle crushed peanuts.
NOTE: OmniMeat is cooked in 4-5 minutes, if pan-frying, or 6-8 minutes if steaming. Keep frozen until ready to cook. To thaw, refrigerate for 8 hours or leave it out to defrost. Cook within 48 hours and store refrigerated.
