Tag: vegan

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Our top 8 vegan Valentine’s Day recipes

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Post date February 4, 2020
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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and for those of you who are partaking in this romantic holiday, we’ve put together a roundup of recipes to treat your loved one, vegan style! Sometimes the best strategy for Valentine’s Day is simply staying in for a mellow, cosy evening and cooking up a delicious feast for two. If you and your sweetheart are committed to the vegan lifestyle, you might be wondering how to treat each other this Valentine’s Day without all the meat and dairy that is usually involved. Get inspired with these delightfully delicious vegan Valentine’s Day recipes…

Spaghetti And Non-meat Balls

A delicious vegan twist on the classic Italian pasta dish, made with love and our Asian spiced burgers. This no-nonsense dish will have you acting out Lady and the Tramp in no time!

Chicken Style Shiitake Mushroom Risotto

Although risotto is one of the simplest meals you could whip up, there is something undeniably fancy about it. Maybe it’s the fact that you’re cooking with wine or the patience that’s involved with constantly stirring the rice. Whatever the reason, our chicken-style shiitake mushroom risotto is sure to wow your special someone.

Vegetable Terrine With Polony

This delicious vegetable terrine is made with our polony slicing sausage and a decadent cashew and coconut cream purée. This recipe requires a little extra effort, but it’s worth it if you want to treat your sweetheart.

Cape Malay Coconut Curry Served With Charred Apricots

Spice things up a bit with our Cape Malay coconut curry, featuring our chicken-style strips served with charred apricots.

Vegan Schnitzels With Creamy Dill Sauce And Dairy-free Potato Salad

This recipe is fancy enough to be a treat, but it will also be appreciated by couples who are trying to eat healthier in the new year. This tasty dish is made with our crispy golden crumbed schnitzels drenched in a creamy dill sauce, served with a tangy German-inspired potato salad made with stock and vinegar.

Vegan Corn Chowder With Prawn-style Pieces

This recipe is quick and easy, so you can spend more time with the one you love this Valentine’s Day. Make some corny jokes and enjoy this soothing dairy-free chunky corn and potato soup topped with our crispy prawn-style pieces.

Meat Free Alfredo Pasta

Pasta dishes have a certain sensuousness to them, and this indulgent, creamy meat-free alfredo pasta cries out for a cosy and lovey-dovey night in. The best part is that if you’re both eating garlic, then you won’t have to worry about dreaded “garlic breath” after your meal.

Peri-peri Pizza

Who doesn’t love pizza for a cosy night in? Tuck your teeth into this delicious pizza made using our polony slicing sausage. You could even cut these into hearts using cookie cutters to show your sweetheart just how much you love them.

Want to get more recipes? Head over to our cookbook page where there are dozens of free creative cookbooks for you to download.

Tags healthy food, plant-based, valentines day, vegan, vegan food, vegan recipes

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8 Reasons to go vegan this Veganuary

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Post date January 10, 2020
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A new year is here with its promise of a fresh start, which usually inspires us to try something new or set New Year’s resolutions. We are very proud partners of Veganuary and believe that going vegan for January is the best and easiest way you can contribute to improving your health, the health of the environment, reducing climate change, and helping to save the lives of animals. If you’re not quite convinced yet, here are 8 reasons to try going vegan this January:

1. A Vegan Diet Is Better for Your Heart

A vegan diet has been proven to lower your risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Both of these conditions are amongst the most common causes of death in the Western world, and they are completely preventable! But beyond prevention, a plant-based diet is the only treatment that has been scientifically proven to reverse heart disease. Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn has been able to reverse even very bad cases of cardiovascular disease by feeding his patients with a low-fat vegan diet and has saved countless lives. (1) Even major health organizations, including the American Diabetes Association, have acknowledged that animal products rich in saturated fat and cholesterol are major contributors to both heart disease and diabetes. (2)

2. A Well-balanced Vegan Diet Can Be Very Beneficial To Your Health

More and more major health organizations are now stating that it’s healthy to eat a well-balanced vegan diet (3), and many even recommend a vegan diet over any other. Recent studies have shown that vegans have lower rates of cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, strokes, and even Alzheimer’s. (4)

The World Health Organization has also stated that processed meat is carcinogenic (5), and meat products often contain bacteria, antibiotics, hormones, dioxins, and a host of other toxins that can be dangerous to our health. (6)

3. It’s The Easiest Way To Save The Environment And Stop Climate Change

Animal agriculture has been responsible for between 15-51% of total greenhouse gas emissions. Methane and nitrous oxide gases from the industry are 75x and 296x respectively, more powerful than CO2 in their global warming potential. (7)

On top of that, 76 trillion gallons of water is used in the industry every year, and to put this in perspective, by committing just one day to not eating meat, you save 5530 liters of water, which equates to a 7 min shower every day for 50 days. (8)

The easiest and best way to help reduce your carbon footprint and reduce your water usage is to swop what you put on your dinner plate.

4. It Can Help You Improve Your Fitness

Most people fear a loss of energy or muscle mass when abstaining from animal products, but quite the opposite is true. Meat and dairy are especially hard to digest, which means they use a lot of your energy, often leaving you feeling sluggish and tired. Adopting a vegan diet in no way hinders you from reaching your fitness goals, and may give you a nice boost of added energy and strength.

You don’t even have to watch your protein intake very much, all plant foods contain protein, and it can be of great quality too. The 40-50 grams you need per day can easily be met by eating meat alternatives such as Fry’s, green vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts or seeds. (9)

For a more detailed analysis of this topic, we highly recommend watching The Game Changers, a brilliant new documentary on Netflix about meat, protein and strength.

5. You’ll Get to Try Amazing New Dishes

Have you ever had a buddha bowl? How about a delicious Cape Malay coconut curry served with charred apricots? There are over 20,000 species of edible plants in the world, of which somewhere between 150 and 200 have been domesticated and farmed. You probably haven’t tried even half of them yet! Trying new delicious recipes broadens your horizon, your taste buds, and lets you discover delicious and healthy dishes you wouldn’t have thought of in the beginning. To help you out on your journey to discovery, have a look at our cookbooks for some inspiration.

6. You Don’t Have To Give Up Your Favorite Meals

Almost every meal you can think of can be veganized. The key is finding the right replacements (like Fry’s instead of meat, vegan cheese instead of dairy, soy milk instead of cow’s milk or flaxseeds instead of eggs). You don’t have to cut back on taste at all here; vegan chefs took home the trophy at the 10th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational with a non-dairy cheese winner, and vegan bakers have dominated the Annual Cupcake Wars twice. Still don’t believe us? Try our tasty vegan traditional burgers with avocado and sundried tomato hummus.

7. Going Vegan Has Never Been Easier

With the help of organizations like Veganuary, going vegan has never been easier! If you pledge to take the Veganuary Challenge, you will receive tips, recipes and advice throughout the month of January. Take the pledge here.

There are so many different plant-based options available, including meat alternatives, dairy alternatives and even vegan eggs! This change in the culinary preferences of consumers is revealing itself through data— the market for non-dairy products is skyrocketing and meat alternative sales are expected to reach $5 Billion by the end of 2020.

8. You Can Help Save Animals

Even though for some people, the ethical argument for veganism isn’t as strong, it can never hurt to be kind. Sparing someone’s life is always the right thing to do, especially if that someone is completely innocent. In recent news, it has been announced that 1 billion animals have died in the Australian Fires. These fires have widely been agreed to be the product of man-made global warming. On top of that, humans kill over 60 billion land animals and 2740 billion fish every year for food. (10) Not only is this completely unnecessary, but it invariably includes cruel practices like dehorning or castration without anaesthetic. Biologists have confirmed what pet lovers have always known: that animals are sentient, they want to live and they feel pain in a very similar way to humans. (11)

Pledge to take the Veganuary challenge here if you’re interested.

References:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-right-plant-based-diet-for-you
care.diabetesjournals.org
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
nutritionfacts.org
www.who.int
www.sciencedirect.com
www.fao.org
academic.oup.com
www.nationalacademies.org
Meat atlas, 2014
Foley et al., Nature, 2011

Tags healthy food, plant-based, vegan, vegan food

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The ultimate food fight

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We’re taking food fights to the next level by putting plant-based foods up against all the usual favourites in the ultimate nutrient breakdown. Which do you think will come out on top?

Round 1:

In the left-hand corner, we have standard chicken strips, and in the right-hand corner, we have 100% vegan Fry’s rice protein and quinoa strips.

Both weigh up very similarly in protein levels, but the Fry’s strips land a significant punch with their lower fat content. The chicken strips take another knock from Fry’s with their higher fibre levels. The Fry’s strips also have no cholesterol at all, compared to the 47mg in the chicken strips – it’s a total knockout!

The Fry’s rice protein and quinoa strips steal the win!

Round 2:

The legend (dairy) ? battle continues! In this round, we have whole milk in the left-hand corner, and soy milk in the right, both fighting for the title of highest calcium levels! This round is stolen by the soy milk!

Round 3:

In the last round, we’re putting salmon up against flaxseeds in the battle for the highest omega-3 levels. Fish has always been thought of as the champion of omega-3, so we thought this round would be an obvious win for salmon (the fish with one of the highest omega-3 levels), but we were dead wrong! This was the biggest win of all, with flaxseeds having a whopping ten times more omega-3 per 100g!

There are so many more examples where plant-based foods absolutely trump their animal-based alternatives when it comes to nutritional value. Some other examples include the iron in levels in pumpkin seeds (15mg of iron per 100g) compared to beef (3.8mg of iron per 100g) or the vitamin A levels in sweet potato (961μg of Vitamin A per 100g) compared to tuna (757μg of Vitamin A per 100g).

Eating a plant-based diet isn’t only good for your health; it’s also great for the environment. Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, water depletion and pollution, and is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the entire transportation industry. Lastly, of course, it’s far better for the animals we share our planet with. Humans kill over 60 billion land animals and 2.7 trillion fish every year for food. Not only is this completely unnecessary, but it invariably includes cruel practices like dehorning or castration without anaesthetic.

Thinking of trying to eat more plant-based foods? Join us by pledging to take the Veganuary challenge this January! Veganuary is the world’s largest vegan movement, inspiring people to try going vegan for January. Take the pledge with us to receive helpful tips, recipes, and more.

Tags burgers, food, vegan, vegan food

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Our 10 favourite plant-based Fry’s recipes from 2018

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Post date November 23, 2018
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Our 10 Favourite Plant-Based Fry’s Recipes from 2018

Thanks a melon to all of you for making 2018 such an incredible year of plant-based goodness! We have rounded up our favourite meat-free, dairy-free and egg-free recipes from the year. It may be the end of the 2018, but these meals certainly will not go out of style next year.

From the Fry family and team, we wish all of our #FrysFans a healthy, happy and plant-powered holiday season.

Fully Loaded Nugget Braai Boat

Live the #nuglife and sail away on a braai bread boat. Whip up some lekker South African tomato and onion relish and layer with mielies, dairy-free cheese and crispy Fry’s Chicken-Style Nuggets (or use our gluten-free Rice Protein & Chia Chicken-Style Nuggets). This meal will go down perfectly over the summer braai holiday season.

Chaka-Lekka Burger Pie

This burger pie has all the local, lekker flavours made with our meat-free Traditional Burgers, wrapped in puff pastry, chakalaka sauce and dairy-free cheese! Serve with some chunky potato wedges and salad. What is chakalaka? It is a South African vegetable relish, usually spicy, that is traditionally served with bread, pap, stews, or curries. It’s chaka-lekker!

Mac and Cheeserpiller

As a family of three daughters, one of our childhood favourites that our mother loved to make was a homemade creamy mac and cheese in bulk that we could eat for days! We have reimagined this fond recipe with added veggies in a dairy-free cheesy sauce and topped with our meat-free Polony/Slicing Sausage. Have some fun and play with your food by tracing a little caterpillar around the bowl.

Veggie Nice Tortilla Cones

Did someone say ice cream tortillas?! This super fun Veggie Nice Tortilla Cone recipe is topped with our Chickpea and Roasted Butternut Balls and Chickpea and Quinoa Falafels, served with smashed avo, beetroot hummus and microgreens. This creative meal will go down perfectly with the kids, at a party, or with anyone who likes to have a bit of fun with their food!

Prawn-Style Corn Chowder

Say Ciao to this delicious dairy-free and plant-based chowder. Made with chunky bits of corn and potato, and a dash of coconut cream, this warming soup is topped with our Battered Prawn-Style Pieces.

Korean BBQ Beef-Style Tacos with a Quick Pickled Salad

Get your grill face on, because this recipe is on fire! Try out this Korean BBQ Beef-Style Tacos with a Quick Pickled Salad for a flavour sensation! Made with our Thick Cut Chunky Strips and assembled in warm tacos, wilted spinach, pickled salad, spring onion and chilli flakes.

Rainbow Wrap

Eat the rainbow with this colorful wrap filled with bright veggies and our Golden Crumbed Schnitzels. Go by the recipe or choose your favourite vegetables to make your very own beautiful plate of food art. And who knows, maybe you’ll find a pot of gold waiting for you at the other end of the table… Go take a look!

Schnitzels with Creamy Dill Sauce and Dairy-Free Potato Salad

Potatoes and schnitzels, anyone? Bake our meat-free Golden Crumbed Schnitzels in the oven, followed with a generous drenching of a creamy dill sauce. Then, serve with a tangy German-inspired potato salad made with gherkins, mustard and chives. You can’t go wrong.

Mezze with Tuna-Style Dip

We don’t mezze around… Dice and blend our versatile Polony/Slicing Sausage in a food processor with egg-free mayo, herbs and spices and you have yourself a fish-free, sustainable tuna-style patè! This makes a great plant-based holiday or festive starter dish. Serve with our Chickpea and Roasted Butternut Balls and Chickpea and Quinoa Falafels on the side for extra points.

We wish all our #FrysFans a peaceful and healthy year end. Thanks a melon for an incredible 365 days! 2018 was #lentil! 2019 is going to be another big year for us and we can’t wait to share new products, store listings and more. Keep your eyes peeled! #peas

Get a sneak peek into what is in store for us next year: http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/162/183231.html

Tags healthy food, plant-based, vegan, vegan food, vegan recipes

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Grow a mo, bro, and try plant-based this Movember

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Post date November 2, 2018
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It’s been three years since The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer agency of the World Health Organisation (WHO), classified processed red meat as carcinogenic to humans. It caused a ripple effect, resulting in more and more people to rethink their meat consumption.

But time has indeed moved on, and it’s been three years, and one could argue that this topic has perhaps lost its novelty and spark. We believe however this is a discussion that needs to be brought to the (plant-based dinner) table once again. Why? Well, it is officially Movember and in South Africa, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men across all population groups according to this study by the South African Journal of Surgery.

While men grow their ‘tashes during the month of November in the name of fighting against cancer, we thought it was a dandy time to speak out about how eating more veggies can lower one’s risk of cancer and lead to a sustainable, healthier life!

Men, your risk of prostate cancer can be reduced with the same diet that helps to prevent most cancers: a diet that’s high in fibre, veggies, fruit and beans and low in saturated fat. It’s time to switch from flipping that piece of meat on the braai to a plant-based alternative. Don’t know where to start? We’ve got some tips, advice and recipes for you and to share with friends and family.

1. Chow on colourful fruits and veggies

A plant-based diet rich in colourful fruits and vegetables mean more vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and phytonutrients, all of which protect cells from damage that could lead to cancer. Consuming more than five servings of vegetables and fruits a day has actually been associated with a decreased risk of cancer. Throw in a zucchini or some kale in your smoothie or add some sprouts and microgreens to your wrap.

2. Pass the fibre

Research shows a link between consuming fibre-rich whole grains as part of a low-fat diet and a reduced risk of cancer. The benefits of whole grains extend beyond their fibre content. They are packed with healthy nutrients, and the synergistic effect of B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, phytoestrogens and antioxidants all together protect us from chronic diseases and cancer. Types of whole grains to include are: Whole-wheat seeded bread, oats, brown rice, rye bread, barley buckwheat, bulgur, millet, quinoa, and legumes including baked beans, kidney beans, other dried beans (home cooked or canned), lentils, split peas and chickpeas.

3. Choose a low-fat diet

Saturated fats like those found in animal products, dairy and processed foods increase men’s’ risk of cancer. Replace them instead with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like avocado, olives, seeds and nuts. Fatty acids like omega 3 (which includes: chia seeds, flaxseeds, soy products, walnuts, hemp seeds as well as leafy greens) are also something you should add to your diet – they act as a natural anti-inflammatory, and chronic inflammation is linked to medical conditions like arthritis, heart disease and cancer.

Buddha Bowl with Chicken-Style Burgers & Hummus

4. Pick prostate-protecting plants

Include tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste, all containing lycopene, along with soy foods, cruciferous veggies like kale, cabbage and broccoli, followed by green tea. These foods help fight cancer risk so consume them regularly, and let food by thy medicine.

So, making changes by reducing your intake of saturated fats can lower your risk of cancer. Chop it from your diet, and increase plant-based alternatives instead, and you’ll be doing a lot to safeguard your heart. As an example, a 150g lamb chop contains 21.3g of Total Fat, while a Fry’s plant-based meat alternative like our Traditional Burger Patty of the same size contains 6.6g of Total Fat. Plus, the patty comes with a bonus 0.9g of fibre to bolster digestive health and support healthy blood cholesterol levels.

November also happens to be World Vegan Month, so if you’re not yet convinced, why not see these next 30 days as a fun challenge at trying to eat plant-based? See how you feel at the end of the month and take it from there! #challengeaccepted

#Movember is more than growing a ‘tash – it’s about getting more colour, texture and variety on the plate For recipes to inspire you, your man and friends around, check out the diverse range of free plant-based cookbooks, including recipes for the braai master, athlete, health nut and parent here: https://www.fryfamilyfood.com/za/our-vegetarian-and-vegan-cookbooks/

Tags healthy food, plant-based, vegan

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From tree to table: How to have a green Christmas

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Post date December 7, 2017
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It’s not even the festive season yet and people are already preempting the growing, new-age year-end tradition: returning unwanted gifts. In fact, over 1/3 of gifts received are returned, with some e-commerce retailers seeing a much higher rate of up to 50%!

So how do we avoid this waste?

Let’s take a few steps back and think about how we can turn frivolous spending into thrifty saving, from imported to locally made, and from garbage to gem.

The question we are asking ourselves is how can leave the lightest footprint this Christmas time.

The way we shop and consume during this holiday season includes not only the presents we buy from family and friends, but also the Christmas décor we purchase and the food we choose to eat.

Choose Plant-Based Food this Christmas

If you truly want to have a sustainable Christmas, then you need to first take a look at your plate, for our food choices have the biggest impact on the environment.

Indeed, livestock and their by-products account 51% of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, according to the ground-breaking environmental documentary, Cowspiracy. More than half of the water consumed is for animal agriculture while only 5% of water consumed is used by private homes. Could switching to a plant-based diet and/or reducing your animal protein consumption be the solution to lightening the pressure we put on our natural resources? We think so, and so do some of these famous vegan environmentalists including, Al Gore, Leonardo DiCaprio, James Cameron and more!

Additionally, due to the demand for turkeys during the festive time, “Seasonal Slaughterhouses” are used, with 10 million turkeys killed in the run up to Christmas, according to this study. Turkeys came grow to ten years old but are slaughtered between the ages of 9 to 12 weeks old. Choosing a plant-based diet drastically decreases the amount of suffering caused around the globe for not only poultry but cows, dairy cows, fish and many more.

So what are you waiting for?! Get the almond milk ready for Santa, here are our top 10 recipe ideas for Christmas, or for any festive occasion for that matter! All recipes are cholesterol free, low in saturated fat, high in protein and bold in flavour! Eat your heart out!

Our Top Ten Plant-Based Christmas Recipes

SOUTH AFRICAN-INSPIRED BRAAI SAUSAGES IN A BRANDY AND COLA GLAZE WITH PLUM, WALNUT AND FETA SALAD

Sweet, crunchy and a little naughty, these glazed Braai-Sausages are a typical local-is-lekker South African meal – with a twist!

Download our Festive Foods Cookbook for the recipe here.

GERMAN-INSPIRED MEAT-FREE FIG AND PECAN STUFFING

What pecan do, you can do better! This is a hearty and rich dish, made with our Country Roast, comes with great depth of flavour and is a great addition to the Christmas table that will delight even the pickiest of eaters! This also works great in sandwiches for the next day. #justsaying

Download our Festive Foods Cookbook for the recipe right over here.

ENGLISH-INSPIRED TOAD IN THE HOLE WITH SAUSAGES AND ROSEMARY

Quintessentially English, served with our meat-free Traditional Sausages and enveloped in crispy batter, we think this toad in the hole is better than mum’s!

Download our Festive Foods Cookbook for the recipe.

AUSTRALIAN-INSPIRED PRAWN-STYLE, MANGO SKEWERS WITH LETTUCE AND SWEETCORN TACOS

For the perfect festive feast entrée, give these Prawn-Style and mango skewers a try. Served with a side of sweetcorn tacos, this creative dish is savoury-sweet, crisp and flavourful.

Download our Festive Foods Cookbook for the recipe here.

COUNTRY ROAST WITH CRANBERRY GLAZE

Have a magical, merry and meat-free Christmas with our award-winning Country Roast, recently voted a Xmas Best Buy by The Independent. Served with a gorgeous cranberry glaze and a side of your favourite mash, this dish is perfect whether you have relatives coming over from afar or if you’re choosing to have a more intimate celebration.

Get the recipe here.

GLAZED GAME ON

Get your game on with this epic veganised gammon recipe! Glaze, roast and get fancy with our favourite Slicing Sausage/Polony!

MINI HOT DOG PASTRY ROLLS

Let the good times roll with these mini hot dog pastry rolls, made with our ever-popular #frysfans’ favourite: The Hot Dog! Perfect finger food, as an entrée or for the kids! Get the recipe for this fun, tasty and easy party dish right here.

COUNTRY ROAST WITH BALSAMIC GLAZED ONIONS

This oh-so-hearty Country Roast comes with flavourful balsamic glazed onions and perfectly roasted vegetables. We think this is a meatloaf-inspired dish worth celebrating this festive season!

Get the recipe here.

VEGGIE PLATTER WITH TZATZIKI AND PRAWN-STYLE PIECES

This dish brings a breath of fresh air to the otherwise hearty Christmas meals we generally end up eating. Served with dairy-free tzatziki, a selection of your favourite crisp veggies and our Battered Prawn-Style Pieces, this platter is colourful, nutritious and easy to make too.

Find the recipe here.

AMERICAN-INSPIRED CHRISTMAS DAY BREAKFAST WAFFLES WITH CHIA NUGGETS

The festivities continue! Make the morning after count with a stack of bold breakfast waffles, served with crunchy gluten-free Chia Nuggets and sweet maple syrup. Pile them up high!

Download our Festive Foods Cookbook for the recipe here.

Don’t forget that when you go grocery shopping to bring your own bags. Reuse old plastic bags and material ones that can be used again and again over a longer period.

Choose DIY Décor this Christmas

As the stores and malls cram every nook and cranny with festive décor, from baubles, to shiny ornaments, and from tinsel, to flickering lights, why don’t you consider making your own decorations?

Considering South Africa produces 108 million tons of waste per year, it seems all the more reason to cut back on purchases that are on display in the lounge for only a few days. Additionally, many of these purchases are “made in India” or “made in China”. When we shop local, when possible, it reduces our carbon footprint and we can support local businesses thus helping the local economy flourish.

When you go about shopping for fun and festive décor, either make your own (a quick Google or Pinterest search will leave you feeling creatively inspired), purchase from local businesses who treat their workers ethically, and/or choose items that you know will last a good few years.

As a DIY idea, why don’t you consider giving our packaging a second life by reusing our boxes! They come in green, red and white boxes which we think fits into the green Christmas cheer! Hang on the tree as a Christmas tree garland or turn it into a X-Mas wreath

Choose to Donate this Christmas

Avoid the awkward conversation about how much you loved your aunt’s gift that you have already returned to the retailer.

Over and above the countless gifts that are returned, each Christmas, as much as 83km² square kilometers of wrapping paper ends up in UK rubbish bins, enough to cover an area larger than Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands. So rather than wasting time wrapping a gift that ends up being cast away to a remote island, why not donate to a charity in your friend’s or family’s name, assist a community group in need, or invite someone who is without a family to the dinner table. The gift of happiness is surely the most powerful gift to give.

Not sure which charity to give to? Some of our favourite charities include:

Food For Life – http://www.fflsa.org/

Sea Shepherd – https://seashepherdlegal.org

By making another person or animal feel good, you too will feel good!

We wish you a happy, safe and ethical Christmas.

Tags christmas, festive season, vegan, vegan food, vegan recipes, vegetarian

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Celebrate World Vegan Month and win!

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Post date November 1, 2017
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The term “vegan” was first coined by English animal rights advocate and founder of The Vegan Society, Donald Watson, in 1944. However, evidence dating back to over 2000 years ago, indicates that people having been making deliberate choices to avoid animal products for centuries. As early as 500 BCE, Greek philosopher and mathematician, Pythagoras, promoted compassion for all species and followed a vegetarian diet.

Fast forward to today and it is undeniable that the awareness around veganism is growing steadily, or should we say, skyrocketing! Last year, Google saw an astonishing 90% increase in ‘vegan’ searches, indicating this trend is not slowing down anytime soon.

What is World Vegan Day?

What began as World Vegan Day, acknowledged on the 1^st of November, evolved into World Vegan Week and now, to what we celebrate as World Vegan Month! It’s a month where, around the world, workplaces, restaurants, schools, shops and homes recognize the importance of a plant-based diet.

How and What Can I Win this World Vegan Month?

To celebrate our favourite month of the year, we are giving away some incredible prizes to three lucky winners, with the help from some of our friends, including Faithful To Nature, Wonderbag, Almond Breeze, B-Well, Oh! PoppySeed, Vfoods, EcoGemGem, We are the Wildflowers and Beauty Without Cruelty!

To win your prize worth over R4000, simply share your story of “I went vegan”. If it was a special friend or family member, a compelling film, or a sweet animal, mention them in your story and spread the love of compassion! Competition runs throughout November, aka: World Vegan Month. Enter here to win and share your story on our Facebook page.

What Can I Do To Support #WVM?

Organise a vegan-themed lunch at work.
Host a plant-based BBQ/braai over the weekend.
Make a donation to a vegan charity or animal sanctuary.
Organise a vegan tasting night with friends and show how good meat alternatives, non-dairy cheeses and “accidently vegan” food tastes!
Take part in vegan outreach (e.g.: hand out nuggets, one-on-one education, demonstrations).

What Has Happened in the World of Veganism?

Are you ready to get involved this November? The year may be drawing to a close but it’s not too late to leave your mark! The bar has been raised though; so much has already happened in the world of veganism this year. From film, to fashion, to adverts and to awards, and from politics to sport, there are many milestones worth noting.

Three major films, centered on different aspects of veganism were released this year, including groundbreaking health documentary, What The Health, Carnage, a new mockumentary that looks at veganism from a slightly different perspective, and OKJA, a Netflix Original film that sheds light on the ethics of eating animals in new ways.

This year, the major luxury brand, Gucci announced that is aims to be more sustainable, by pledging to go fur-free by 2018. Any remaining fur fashion items will be sold at a charity auction, with all proceeds going to the animal rights organization, The Humane Society International.

In the UK, an advert stating that “Humane milk is a myth” was cleared by the Advertising Standards Authority despite complaints from members of the dairy industry saying that it was inaccurate and misleading. Sparking debate around the world, the campaign went viral earlier this year. Moving from print to the screen, UK’s first vegan advert will be shown to millions in cinemas nationwide. With the help of crowdfunding, the advert aims to compel those who see it to acknowledge the reality behind UK factory pig farms.

In the world of sport, There are plenty of strong athletes who swear by a plant-based diet including Novak Djokovic , arguably one of the greatest tennis player of all time; world-renowned ultramarathon runner, Scott Jurek, who has been vegan since 1999 and broke the record for the Appalachian trail – completing the 3522kms in 46 days, eight hours and seven minutes; the famous Williams sisters, holding a combined 30 Grand Slam wins; MMA fighter and winner of The Ultimate Fighter 5, Nate Diaz; England striker, Jermaine Defoe; and Patrik Baboumian, a strongman competitor who holds several world records, including carrying a yoke loaded with just over 550 kilograms – the heaviest load ever carried. This year however was a big one for vegan athletics when the Gloucestershire football team, Forest Green Rovers, made sporting history this year by becoming the world’s first and only vegan football club. And let’s not forget Lewis Hamilton, who – after announcing going vegan in September – is now a Formula One world champion again following his victory in Mexico in October.

But it’s not all about film, fashion and fun where veganism gets attention. Moving away from tie-dye to a suit and tie, Argentina, Germany and Belgium have made some major meat-free breakthroughs in the politic sphere. Argentina’s Casa Rosada, the nation’s presidential house, now only serves plant-based foods on Mondays, President Mauricio Macri, also participates. The German Environment Minister, Barbara Hendricks, has officially banned meat at all official functions in the name of environmental and sustainability issues. Not too far away, The Flemish Institute for Healthy Life in Belgium launched a revised food pyramid that focuses primarily on plant-based food sources, including tofu, to form part of a healthy diet, with pizza, cookies, soft drinks and bacon falling completely outside of the pyramid!

As we continue to celebrate these achievements, it’s also been an exciting year for Fry’s, having just won the Taste Innovation Award at the world’s biggest food show, Anuga FoodTec Trade Show 2017, and “BEST VEGAN MEAT” at Vegfest UK Awards 2017, Europe’s largest vegan festival. Both awards were given only a week apart!

Join the movement to end animal suffering, tackle climate change, and improve human health by switching to a plant-based diet.

http://win.faithful-to-nature.co.za/Win/Status/win-with-frys-and-friends

Tags frys competition, vegan, vegan community, vegan food, vegan month, vegan recipes, vegetarian

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Our top 10 winter recipes

Lettuce, a shrubbery leaf and a carrot. What do these three things have in common? Rabbit food. And it’s certainly not what vegans or vegetarians eat, especially not in winter!

With colder, darker weather coming in, so emerges the desire to stay curled up like a soft tortilla on the couch, watching series, eating comforting, tummy-hugging food. We’ve rounded up our top ten winter-warming vegan recipes that are feel-good, immune-boosting and chilly-weather friendly. From curries to pasta with rich aromas and texture, let’s heat up from inside out this winter.

Saffron Chicken-Style with Thyme Rice and Peas

This nourishing and comforting Indian-inspired rice is healing, cleansing and full of wholesome veggies. This bowl is perfect for a frigid wintry day or if you’re feeling sick. Flavourful, low in fat and naturally gluten-free!

‘Boerie Pretzel Roll’ topped with Asian Chakalaka

A true crowd-pleaser and surprising delight. Spicy and filled with umami flavours , this Asian fusion dish is hearty, absolutely delicious and braai approved. Ready in 45 minutes! Enjoy this filling, traditional(ish) South African meal!

Meat Free Lanieres De Poulet

A twist on a classic French recipe. Made on the braai, this warm and inviting meal makes the perfect home-style dinner. Serve this with a bottle of wine, a loaf of country bread, and a fresh salad for a complete meal.

Meat-Free Spicy Lentil Curry with Sausage

A heart-healthy, protein-packed curry with just enough kick to chase the germs away! You now have an excuse to stay in tonight and get cozy with this spicy lentil curry served with Fry’s Traditional Sausages

Meat Free Dhal Gosht

A very popular recipe in North Indian households and in Pakistan, this dish is made up of combination of chana dhal and gosht. Zesty and flavourful, this healthy and substantial dish makes an awesome one-party feast, and is perfect for a weekday wintery night! Made in 30 minutes!

Grain Orzotto

Tuck into a typical northeast Italian meal that is velvety, creamy and wholesome. Made with Fry’s Polony and hearty pearl barley, this grain orzotto is packed with nutrients that will keep the sniffles at bay!

Creamy Chicken-Style Ravioli

A main course that deserves the spotlight! Delicious and satisfying as the original, this ravioli is thick, rich and creamy. With added kale and Fry’s Chicken-Style Strips, you can be sure to be warm, cozy and healthy! Cooks in 20 minutes.

Spaghetti and No-Meat Balls

A crowd-favourite that will guarantee a standing ovation. Made with Fry’s Asian Spiced Burgers, this no-meat balls spaghetti is a no-nonsense kind of meal. Mouth-watering and satisfying, you can’t go wrong.

Thai Soup

You can’t have winter recipe ideas without a soup! Made with only a handful of ingredients, this Thai soup is hassle-free and easy to make after a long, cold day.

Meat-Free Prawn-Style Coconut Curry

A delicious Asian-fusion coconut curry that is hearty and brimming with authentic flavour. This super simple meal is best enjoyed when snuggled up with someone you love – and yes, your cat does indeed count!

Tags vegan, vegan food, vegan recipes, vegetarian, winter recipes

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From piggeries to veggies, this is our story

Post author By
Post date March 7, 2017
17 Comments on From piggeries to veggies, this is our story

From the very start (back in 1991) the principle behind how we craft our food has been, and will continue to be the same: Wherever possible do no harm. This is our mantra and our guiding value.

I became a vegetarian in the late 80’s for a number of reasons. The most important of these was the obvious cruelty in factory farming and the ravages caused to our total environment by farming for meat. With a lack of protein alternatives available in the market place, and my own personal challenge to stay within the confines of this diet, I started to research and develop foods that created a healthy alternative, thus providing a solution for the breaking of the habit of meat eating, and keeping it fun, and easy. I decided to start making a solution for myself, my family, and of course, other like-minded people who saw giving up meat as a tough challenge.

our story

I started in our kitchen, with our Kenwood mixer and a few ingredients, with Debbie, my wife, and the kids pitching in and helping wherever possible. The cornerstone of our home recipes was to use the very best ingredients to craft our foods. Thus, it was obvious from the start that MSG, food colourants, nasty chemicals, Genetically Modified ingredients, Hydrogenated fats, cholesterol, and of course absolutely any animal products in whatever form, had to be excluded from our daily development of recipes. What had to be included was a great protein value thus vindicating the argument or common question to vegetarians or vegans about “where do you get your protein”. All the while, the prime concern I had was to ensure that my own family would in every way benefit from a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. Lastly, of most crucial importance was that the food needed to taste great. Therefore, taste has no compromise in all of The Fry Family Food Co.’s range of foods, even to this day.

When Fry’s first reached the supermarket shelves, we decided that the same love, care and methods that we used in our kitchen would simply be up scaled without even the subtlest alterations to our home style preparation, was how we would continue to make our food. Attention to detail with absolute awareness about what would be impacted by our actions, was a prime focus.

“Through my personal choices and actions, I can help change the world” became our mantra and the mantra of our staff and many of our loyal customers.

With all of these guiding principles being our daily practice and motivation, Fry’s has become a well -known Brand in over 25 countries, proving that our bid for the above principles attracts millions of people worldwide.

Want to find out more about our story? Click here.

Tags fry family food, our story, vegan, vegan community, vegetarian

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Our top 10 vegan myths

It’s January! We hope that you are taking on the Veganuary challenge with us. To help you along, we’ve put together some very common vegan myths that you might stumble upon during your vegan month. Let us know on Facebook or Twitter if you can think of any others!

Vegans don’t get enough protein

Studies have shown that most vegans get too much protein. The average American meat eater’s diet contains double the recommended protein, which leads to a higher cancer risk.¹ Vegans get their protein from a multitude of sources. It’s plentiful in wholemeal breads, beans, corn, lentils, peas, chick peas, oatmeal, nuts and of course, all of our products!

¹ Campbell and Campbell, The China Study

Animals eat each other, so it’s only natural for us to eat them too

Many animals are capable of showing empathy, but the reality is that in the wild, carnivores hunt because they have no choice. If they showed empathy towards their prey they would starve. The same is not true for humans. Humans not only survive, but thrive on a vegan diet and plant-based foods are available in abundance.

You have to eat meat for strength and energy

Today, just about every runner knows that spaghetti is a better pre-marathon meal than, say, scrambled eggs or steak. The Australian Institute of Sport’s list for pre-event meals omitted meat. They added that a ‘well-chosen vegetarian diet contains adequate energy and protein, is high in carbohydrates and low in fat – making it ideal for athletes striving to meet the dietary guidelines encouraged for sport.’ ¹

These top athletes didn’t need meat for strength and energy:

Robert Parish, who is one of the “Greatest Players in NBA History”
“Olympian of the Century”, Carl Lewis, who is a gold-medal winner with a heart to match.
Ultimate Fighter winner and King of the Cage world champion, Mac Danzig.
Four-time Mr. Universe, Bill Pearl is a gem for animals, with his healthy vegetarian diet.

¹ Higdon, Marathon: The Ultimate Training and Racing Guide, 108-110

Soya contains oestrogen and lowers testosterone

Soya beans contain isoflavones, which are members of compounds called phytoestrogens. Because isoflavones bind to the same receptors in the body as oestrogen, a misconception has built up about soya. The bottom line is that isoflavones are not the same as oestrogen, and do not have the same effect as oestrogen.

Furthermore, a 2010 study looked at whether soya has oestrogenic-like effects in men and lowers available testosterone levels. It concluded: “The results … suggest that neither soy foods nor isoflavone supplements alter measures of bioavailable testosterone concentrations in men.”¹

¹ Hamilton-Reeves JM, et al.

But what about fish? I heard that they don’t have feelings

Numerous studies provide evidence that fish do in fact feel pain in the same way that we do. Scientists from the Universities of Edinburgh and Liverpool placed bee venom on fish’s lips. “The pattern of the electrical recordings was typical of those from pain receptors in humans, strongly suggesting that the lips of a fish contain pain receptors…. the neurons show a similar firing pattern to that in the human nervous system when transmitting a pain signal.” ¹

¹ Lynn Sneddon et al, Do Fish Perceive Pain? May 2003, roslin.ac.uk

Cows have to be milked in order for them to live healthy lives

We interfere with nature by drinking the milk that cows produce for their offspring. Cows are not dissimilar to humans in that they produce milk when they have calves. The reason dairy cows produce so much milk is because they’re impregnated and fed growth hormones by farmers. We’re the only species that drinks milk after infancy.

Wouldn’t there be an overload of farm animals if we didn’t eat them?

Most animals we eat are bred for that purpose. So if everyone went vegan, there would simply be less of them because we would stop producing them. In the event that the whole world went vegan, it’s unlikely we would be overrun by farm animals. If more people stopped eating meat, causing demand to fall, this breeding industry would start to slow down as it would become less profitable. If everyone stopped eating meat completely, the industry would eventually cease to exist. In the short term, livestock currently being kept for meat and dairy could be rehomed or allowed to live out their lives in sanctuaries.

I’ve heard that plants feel pain too

A nervous system and a brain enable the sensation of pain. These are possessed by humans and animals but are absent in plants. The vast majority of grains raised today are used as cattle feed. It takes 2kg of feed to produce 1kg of chicken. So by eating plants directly, you will end up saving the lives of more plants anyway.¹

¹ http://www.economist.com/blogs/feastandfamine/2013/12/livestock

Vegan food is boring. What do you eat?

This is a myth that almost all vegans are very happy to challenge. Vegans love sharing their passion for food and you’ll find a real sense of community between food bloggers, chefs, Instagrammers, celebrities, etc. Initially creating food you’ve never made before might seem daunting, but you will be amazed at how quickly you discover new flavours and recipes. There are heaps of places to find inspiration for vegan meal ideas. Check out our recipe section to get started!

One person doesn’t make a difference

What about these ‘one persons’: Isaac Newton, Leonardo da Vinci, Adolf Hitler? Total dedication by one person to his or her chosen cause can make a huge difference. We also forget the influence we have on others as a parent, child, brother, sister, friend or colleague. We don’t just affect the thinking and behaviour of those we influence, but also their contacts – which is a geometrical progression. The question is not “can you make a difference?” You already do… it’s just a matter of what kind of difference you choose to make.

Looking for vegan recipe ideas? Check out our free eCookBooks here!

Tags vegan, vegan myths, vegetarian