vegan blog

Veganuary it’s here!

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It’s officially 2022. Today it’s the very first day of a new year and I am very excited to see what it will bring (but I don’t want to jinx anything as we’ve seen how the past 2 years have gone, generally speaking). And with the new year, it comes also Veganuary. Let’s take a look into it.

Veganuary is an initiative by the UK organisation with the same name, that promotes veganism by simply asking whoever want to take part to try a vegan diet during the month of January. I think it is quite a simple and fairly effective initiative and it can surely benefit the vegan cause: they provide facts to raise awareness without being too pushy, in their website you can find recipes to get you started as well as nutrition tips. They are making it very easy for people to potentially go vegan, without excuses of not knowing what to eat, of vegan food, being too difficult to make or that the dishes are not balanced. On the Veganuary website, you’ll find all the relevant information.

The initiative started in 2014 and seems to go quite well. However… I still have to find a person that decided to go vegan because they tried Veganuary. I don’t know, maybe it’s because I live in a small rural town, but it also seems that the places where I can get a vegan takeout or even sit in for a meal, have either closed or significantly reduced the variety of vegan food on offer. Yes, supermarkets are providing some ready meals or quick to make stuff, which is great when you are in a hurry and didn’t manage to cook anything the night before. But they are not for everyday consumption. So I am wondering where are all these vegans? Are they only in the bigger cities? If you know, please share your knowledge.

Now, going back to Veganuary and its effectiveness. I applaud the initiative and the organisation because they are raising awareness not only in the UK but all around the world, and as the old saying goes “The more, the merrier”. But I have to raise a concern (no, I don’t have to-have to in the categorical sense, but that I feel I should. Then why you don’t say that? Because I don’t want to. Now let’s proceed.): some of the ingredients they are suggesting people should use, are from brands owned by multinational companies such as Coca Cola, Pepsi, etc, which we established are not vegan (you can find a list of non-vegan companies, as well as a chart of the multinationals and the brands that they own). I know that many vegans are very excited about this initiative, and again, I am too and I am very supportive. Also, I understand that they are promoting the use of certain foods because they might be cheaper than buying them from smaller, independent companies and it’s also easier than making them yourself: all factors that can help people approach veganism.

Nevertheless, I strongly believe that any money given to these companies is just protracting the suffering of animals: it doesn’t matter that that product is labelled as plant-based and vegan-friendly if it comes from a business that is exploiting animals, its employees and the environment (you can read some more of this here). There are really plenty of small businesses that make vegan food and ingredients, that are true to vegan ethics because they were born as vegan and ethical companies. There are several places where you can find lists of such businesses for vegan food, clothes etc. and if you find yourself stuck in terms of beauty products and snacks, FreedmStreet is the website for you (no, this is not a paid post, it’s just that I have been buying stuff from them for the past 3 years and I am always 100% satisfied, hence why I am suggesting it).

So, go vegan, try it for January, for a few months or for your life, but try to do also some research: there are many resources online that you can consult and this blog wants to make your life easier, plus there is a massive community online and many charities and organisations to whom you can talk about going vegan.

If you need any assistance, please leave a comment or get in touch!

And to conclude, here are some easy recipes to get you started

31 DROOL-WORTHY Healthy Veganuary Recipes
Healthy Broccoli Potato Soup

Love,

TVCL

Happy New Year! (And Taking Stock of the Past 12 Months)

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It’s New Year’s Eve, 2021 is coming to an end. We are still in this “global pandemic” and it doesn’t seem like we’re are really getting out of this situation at least for another while. Paraphrasing something that I’m hearing a lot recently: “A year has passed, but where did it go?”. Because at the same time we are all perceiving that yes, 12 months have surely come and gone, but also it doesn’t feel like it. I believe this whole situation is making us all feel a bit discombobulated.

So here we are, and we keep on going, trying our best to survive these crazy times, trying to maintain a sort of mental sanity, trying to find some bits of normality during a period that normal is not. And the year coming to an end is usually a source of melancholy because we’re coming to the very final part of these 12 months, and the end always brings up many feelings and emotions like sadness and anxiety, because of the thing that we’re leaving behind and the things that we wanted to do but we haven’t managed. It can quite distressing and it is not surprising that (coupled with the darkness of these months) many people get the “January blues” (you can read on my experience with Seasonal Affective Disorder, and while for me it works in reverse, the symptoms are the same and you might find useful my way of dealing with it).

But we’re usually forgetting that an end means a new beginning. The New Year brings another set of feelings and emotions because there is the hope of a new start with all the new opportunities and chances that that can bring. I am not one to say that if you had a shitty year, go ahead and make 50 “New Year Resolutions” that you’ll probably won’t manage to cope with and you’ll get overwhelmed and frustrated and your new year will result in just a big disappointment.

On Resolutions

In order to enjoy the new possibilities that the New Year can bring us and so that we can make the most of what we also can build for ourselves, we should build a sustainable lifestyle, without stressing over the resolutions and the “New Year-New Me” fads. Obviously, if you like creating resolutions and you believe that what you are resolving to do in the next 12 months is doable, by all means, go for it. But if you are going to create 50 resolutions that are all undoable, not achievable, then you’re just paving the path to failure and frustration which will affect your mental and physical health. What I am suggesting is that of those 50 resolutions, at least 30 are achievable with some effort and willpower, but without extreme requirements of energy and time; 15 will require a fairly moderate effort and for 5 you will have to use maximum levels of time and energy. This is probably an extreme example but is to give you an idea. And the levels of time, energy and effort are based on you and only you: comparing yourself to others can be constructive to give you ideas and see what others are doing, but we all have different sets of skills and experiences and as a quote that is around since 2004 circa

Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.

(maybe Albert Einstein, maybe not)

Therefore, my advice is:

  • if you like the idea of resolutions, go for it, but keep it sustainable;
  • if you would like this approach but are scared that things might get frustrating, look at them as goals, think of what you really would like to do, break it down into smaller bits and make these smaller bits your goals;
  • if you don’t like the idea of resolutions, but still would like some kind of structure to the New Year, then think of what you are aspiring to and what could be your intentions to get to such aspirations.

Now, lessons from 2021 for TVCL:

  1. Look after your mental health, find what makes you feel good and dedicate some time for that at least once a week or at intervals that work for you. But make time for it!
  2. Look after your physical health: eat well and sometimes give in to (not too) unhealthy foods, do a detox when you feel like you should, but don’t overdo it – measure is all! Also exercise: find a good balance – 10 minutes per day of anything is better than nothing.
  3. Find time for reading – read anything, from classic books to comics, but read. If you are stuck, you can try a little challenge like this one to get you started.
  4. Find some time for nature, as it has many benefits and once you start going for some walks in nearby parks and woods and lakes, you’ll find that a breath in the fresh air will reset your mindset (Nietsche said this as well!).
  5. Clean and tidy up where you live: not only it will be clean and tidy, but the whole process is almost cathartic and when you finish you really will feel better (talking as an ex-almost-hoarder, the de-cluttering process makes me feel much freer).
  6. Family and friends are important, so dedicate them time: if you are an introvert you might find that social interactions can take some energyfrom you, but when you come back home from that meeting or you finish that videocall you’ll feel more serene.
  7. Social events (ceremonies, nights out, etc) are a good way to interact with people and expand your “social circle”, but as of now I can’t take them more than maybe once every few months because of all the mental preparation to get to the actual event (like mental prep to get dressed, meet people, etc).

Yes, I’d say this is what I am taking from 2021, from a year with a global pandemic still going strong, where people still want to get married and go out and have some kind of normality.

Food

In terms of food, for tonight I ordered a Chinese takeout (a little tradition of mine), salt&pepper tofu and rice vermicelli with mixed vegetables. In addition, I made lentils as that’s my family tradition (one big onion and 3 carrots sauteed, then add 1 1/2 cups dried green lentils and 3 cups of water. Cook until the lentils have absorbed all the water).

I hope you all have a fantastic New Year!

Wish you all the best, and as always, go vegan!

Recipe Sunday – Vegan Gnocchi Bake

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I know, I am coming a bit late today for this weekly appointment, but I wnated to share with you this beautiful recipe, perfect comfort food for every time of the year. It is deliciously vegan and you won’t regret making it.

Vegan Gnocchi Bake – LazyCatKitchen

In another post I included this recipe as a suggestion for a Valentine’s Day menu.

The reason I am dedicating a whole post to this recipe is because is the perfect comfort food: it is easy to make and tastes divinely, while also maintaining a certain healthiness as you can use your homemade gnocchi (so that you knwo what the ingredients are).

This Vegan Gnocchi Bake is nutricious, with shallots, mushrooms and broccoli. At the same time it’s also very tasty because of the gnocchi themselves, the flavoursome bechamel sauce and the vegan cheese.

It requires no effort, while returning an amazing result.

I made it now three times and never disappoints: try it to believe it!

Enjoy!

The All-Vegan Easter Menu

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This menu for an all-vegan Easter is brought to you after carefully selecting the best springy recipes so that you can enjoy a tasty Easter without harming any animal nor the environment. What can you ask more?!

During these holidays there are many blogs that will give you 30+ recipes suitable for such events. Now, I don’t know about you, but I find it a bit overwhelming, especially if all the recipes look so good making it difficult to select the “right ones” (there obviously are not “right” recipes, but I mean it in the sense that are best for how you are feeling on the day, how much you want to cook, what do the Moon and the rest of the Cosmos suggesting, etc.). So, looking around, searching my favourite vegan blogs, I selected those course that I think would make a nice menu for Easter 2021.

Appetisers

I know I am repeating myself, but Sam’s Deviled Potatoes (ItDoesn’tTasteLikeChicken) are a must for this Easter: easy and delicious, just GO. FOR. THEM.

Deviled Potatoes (ItDoesn’tTasteLikeChicken)

However, if you don’t feel like an egg-y dish, why not try the cutest Spinach Puffs by ConnoiseurusVeg?

Spinach Puffs by ConnoiseurusVeg

Main

A lovely Minestrone by The Minimalist Baker, would be the perfect soup for Easter.

Minestrone by The Minimalist Baker

Then there would be the choice between a Vegan Pesto Risotto with Roasted Tomatoes (FromMyBowl) or a Creamy Pasta Al Limone (EatingByElaine).

Vegan Pesto Risotto with Roasted Tomatoes (FromMyBowl)
Creamy Pasta Al Limone (EatingByElaine)

Whatever your choice, after that go for the Vegan Hotpot With Lentils and Mushrooms (LazyCatKitchen): YUM!

Vegan Hotpot With Lentils and Mushrooms (LazyCatKitchen)

Side

[I was going to suggest a potato salad – the Roast Potato Salad – YumVeganLunches – but I also understand that you might have had the Devied Potatoes as an appetiser so this recipe is only if you’re feeling extra (after all it’s holiday, so why not?)].

Roast Potato Salad – YumVeganLunches

There is the option of a Cannellini Bean Salad With Olives and Cashew Cheese (LavenderAndMacarons) or a Kale Salad With Apple (VeganOnBoard).

Cannellini Bean Salad With Olives and Cashew Cheese (LavenderAndMacarons)
Kale Salad With Apple (VeganOnBoard)

Dessert

If you don’t already have an Easter Egg, then you could make one following the recipe for Peanut Butter Eggs by The Minimalist Baker.

Peanut Butter Eggs by The Minimalist Baker

However, there is the option for a Carrot Cake (recipe by VeganHuggs).

Carrot Cake (recipe by VeganHuggs)

Whichever dessert you choose, I would definitely “pear” it with the Healthy Baked Pears (RunningOnRealFood).

Healthy Baked Pears (RunningOnRealFood)

Recipe Sunday – Deviled Potatoes

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For this Sunday recipe I bring to you something that is so tasty, quick and easy to make and will bring back so many memories of Spring lunches and pic-nics. Do you remember deviled eggs? Well, here we have the vegan version!

Perfect for a snack, lunch or pic-nic

I made it yesterday and really had to stop myself from eating them all in one go because they are way too good. And it will be perfect for your Easter lunch: it will be a hit with your family and friends (if you don’t have too many restrictions, pandemic-wise).

When I grew up, possibly like many of you, deviled eggs were something that would be brought to a pic-nic as tehy keep quite well and are easy to manage. But also they remind me of Easter lunch with my family, with quiches and dumpling soups as well as refreshing salads.

There are few versions around, but I tried this because it seemed the quickest and usually Sam’s recipes come out always great.

The recipe

Without further ado. The recipe is the one by Sam from ItDoesn’tTasteLikeChicken: you probably are already familiar with her recipes. If not, go and have a look at her website because you’ll see so many easy, quick and delicious recipes for all the occasions.

You just need small potatoes, vegan mayonnaise, a bit of kala malak (black salt – this is fundamental to give the egg taste), bit of apple cider vinegar and turmeric. Boil the potatoes, half them, scoop a bit of the centre of the potatoes. Use the scooped bits of the potatoes as filling with the mayo and spices. You won’t believe they are not deviled eggs!

Make them, you’ll thank me (but mosty Sam) later.

Go vegan!

Recipe Sunday – Chia Fresca

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Spring it’s here! After months of snow and cold, as nature intended, we are now officially into the new season: a time of rebirth, blossoming, the birds are chirping, the days are lighter and lighter and this is the time when we should do some detox to get ready to enter this new period. Hence, I am sharing this recipe with you, because it is packed with nutrients that will help you dealing with Springtime in an energising and refreshing way.

Now, I don’t know about you, but going from Winter to Spring for me it’s always devastating: it has been like this for more than 10 years (before I went vegan) and it’s the only change of season that brings with it, physical and mental issues: from brain fog to feeling physically depleted as well as gastrointestinal problems (I am going to talk about this Seasonal Affective Disorder soon because maybe there some of you who suffer from the same stuff and I can help you with the solutions that I am using for myself), leaving Winter is quite a challenge every year.

For this reason, I was absolutely delighted to read about a very quick and easy recipe for Chia Fresca by Choosing Chia. And it’s obviously vegan!

Let’s get down to business. The recipe wants:

1 1/2 cups filtered water

1 tbsp chia seeds

juice of 1/2 lemon 

1–3 tsp maple syrup  

pinch of cayenne (optional)

Mix all the ingredients in a glass or jar. Stir or shake it up to make sure the chia seeds don’t clump together.

Let sit in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before drinking.

It is easy, delicious, very quick. However, I have modified it a little bit: I have been using 1/2 cup of boiled water and 1 cup of cool water, no maple syrup nor cayenne. Instead, I have been adding 1 kiwi (peeled and sliced). I prepare this first thing in the morning, while I prepare breakfast and I drink it until lunchtime: it does provide a good kick and I have been able to focus a bit better at work while also calming my stomach.

But I would also like to show you the nutritional value of the ingredients used for this amazing recipe. And again, all this is vegan and superhealthy, so give it a try!

Chia Seeds

From Harvard T. H.. Chan School of Public Health: “Two tablespoons of chia seeds (1 ounce or 28 grams) contain about 140 calories, 4 grams of protein, 11 grams of fiber, 7 grams of unsaturated fat, 18% RDA for calcium, and trace minerals including zinc and copper. They are the richest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids. Chia seeds are a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids that cannot be made by the body.”

From Healthline.com we have another complete brakdown of all the nutrition facts of these little seeds. For example, what they might be lacking in vitamins, they’ll make up with minerals: Manganese, Phosphorus, Copper, Selenium, Iron, Magnesium and Calcium. They also contain many antioxidants (the good stuff that it’s supposed to be helping against cancer).

Lemon juice

This ingredient is very famous because is so rich in Vitamin C (an essential vitamin for the proper functioning of the immune system, and much more). But did you know that it has a good amount of Vitamin A? Another important vitamin for the immune system as well helping in maintaining healthy skin.

But lemon juice is not only a magnificent source of such vitamins: it is also your ally against kidney stones and anemia (amongst other benefits – read more here and here).

Kiwi

As I said, my version of the vegan Chia Fresca sees the use of kiwi. I have always been used to eating kiwis when I was little because my grandma loves them and this has been passed on to my mum. Now, I am not crazy about them like my grandma, but I like their taste: the combination of bitter and sweet and the juicy pulp, makes it a nice snack. Or also it can be used to take away a bit of the sweetness of some foods that sometimes are really too sweet, if you get what I mean. For example, I used to slice a kiwi to put in those yoghurts where cleary they used a bit too much sugar and/or sweetners. I am not trying to sell you some kiwis, but just to give you an idea one kiwi has

  • 42 calories (cal)
  • 215 milligrams (mg) of potassium, or 5 percent recommended daily value (DV)
  • 1 g of dietary fiber, or 8 percent DV
  • 8 g of protein, or 2 percent DV
  • 23 mg of calcium, or 2 percent DV
  • 64 mg of vitamin C, or 107 percent DV
  • 2 g of sugar
  • 1 mg of vitamin E, or 5 percent DV
  • 8 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin K, or 35 percent DV
  • 7 mg of magnesium, or 3 percent DV
  • 60 international units (IU) of vitamin A, or 1 percent DV
  • 17 mcg of folate
    (from EverydayHealth.com)

which I think it’s already pretty amazing. And all this translates in many health advantages such as being beneficial for the respiratory tract and gastrointestinal system.

So, now you can go and try this delicious (and nutricious) beverage. Let me know if you’ll try it and if it gave you a boost of vitality.

Drink up!

A Speech on Veganism

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It is just over a year and a month now, that this speech was made. So why am I writing about this just today? Well, first of all, this blog was born like three months ago, and unless we have a time machine available it would have not been possible to write this at the time. Second: I didn’t think about this speech until a couple of days ago, and I actually don’t even remember why I thought about it. Third: I don’t believe this speech has gained that much consideration, even at the time it was made, a year ago, while it is absolutely still relevant (despite this fast-running, speed-racing machine that is the contemporary world, where things become obsolete after few months). Hence I feel like this should be made more widespread.

The speech I am talking about is the one that Joaquin Phoenix gave when he won the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance as Joker in the homonym movie (which is brilliant: if you haven’t watched it yet, do it, you won’t regret it! I leave you the trailer at the end).

So, Joaquin Phoenix is a long-time vegan (since he was a child) and he has publicly spoken many times as well as taking part in public protests for animal rights (you can read it here, here, here and what a recent interview here). If this wasn’t enough, he has also been arrested during a protest on climate change.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that he took such an important opportunity, such as the Oscar’s acceptance speech, to raise awareness of animals rights. But in these 5 minutes, he managed to include themes of social justice, the fight against racism, gender rights and LGBTQ+ rights. Few moments, with very powerful words.

You might remember that Leonardo DiCaprio did something similar when he won his first Oscar (whoo-hoo! Well done Leo, you should have gotten one much earlier, but better late than never!). He said that “making The Revenant [the movie for which he won the award] was about man’s relationship to the Natural World, a world that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in recorded history. Our production needed to move to the southern tip of this planet just to be able to find snow. Climate change is real, it is happening right now, it is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating, we need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters, the big corporations, but who speak for all of humanity, for the indigenous people of the world, for the billions and billions of underprivileged people who will be most affected by this, for our children’s children and for those people out there whose voices have been drowned out by the politics of greed. I thank you all for this amazing award tonight. Let us not take this Planet for granted, I do not take this night for granted.”

I find that Joaquin’s speech went beyond that: that through veganism people can not only live in a more compassionate way, but also that the vegan lifestyle can benefit non-humans and humans alike, helping in the fight against social injustice as well as for a better environment.

I leave you the video here (and the transcript below it):

“I’m full of so much gratitude right now. And I do not feel elevated above any of my fellow nominees or anyone in this room because we share the same love, the love of film and this form of expression has given me the most extraordinary life. I don’t know what I’d be without it. But I think the greatest gift that it’s given me and many of us in this room is the opportunity to use our voice for the voiceless. I’ve been thinking a lot about some of the distressing issues that we are facing collectively and I think at times that we feel, or were made to feel, that we champion different causes. But for me, I see commonality. I think whether we are talking about gender inequality, or racism, or queer rights, or indigenous rights, or animals rights, we are talking about the fight against injustice, we are talking about the fight against the belief that one nation, one people, one race, one gender, or one species has the right to dominate, control, and use and exploit another with impunity.
(applause)
I think that we’ve become very disconnected from the natural world and many of us, what we are guilty of, is an egocentric worldview: the belief that we’re the centre of the universe; we go into the natural world and we plunder it for its resources; we feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and when she gives birth, we steal her baby even though her cries of anguish are unmistakable and then we take her milk, that it’s intended for a calf, and we put it in our coffee and our cereal. And I think, we fear the idea of personal change because we think that we have to sacrifice something, to give something up: but human beings at our best, are so inventive, so creative and ingenious and I think that when we use love and compassion as our dieting principles we can create, develop and implement systems of change that are beneficial to all sentient beings and to the environment.
(cheers)
Now, I’ve been a scoundrel in my life, I’ve been selfish, I’ve been cruel at times, hard to work with, and ungrateful but so many of you in this room have given me a second chance, and I think that’s when we are at our best: when, when we support each other, not when we cancel each other out for past mistakes, but when we help each other to grow, when we educate each other, when we guide each other towards redemption. That is the best of humanity.
(applause)
When he was 17, my brother [River Phoenix] wrote these lyrics, he said ‘run to the rescue with love, and peace will follow’.
Thank you.”

Recipe Sunday – Vegan Babka

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It’s Sunday and despite being in March it is still quite cold. So it comes natural seeking some comfort food. And there is not comfort-er food than this vegan babka: a cake that will be perfect for your breakfast, but also for an afternoon snack (and why not, after dinner, while you’re watching your favourite TV show).

The first time I heard the word ‘babka’ was when a friend showed me the picture of a babka he made. Unfortunately, this was not vegan. But this was not a deterrent for me: the cake was way too beautiful and looked so darn tasty so I started researching for recipes of vegan babkas, that were reasonably doable without requiring the help of celestial being for overly complicated cooking and baking processes (something that happens when I see the list of ingredients for some recipes).

And there it was: after comparing some recipes, I found it! The Domestic Gothess shared the recipe for a beautiful Vegan Chocolate Babka and I didn’t hesitate to make it straight away (when I find something that I like I am like a dog with a bone). The ingredients are almost all vegan pantry-staples so you too can make this delicious treat right now. The process might seem lengthy, but trust me it is actually straightforward. Plus, you have the sensorial experience of working the vegan butter into the dough and I found it so fun! Very squishy and messy at the beginning, but I enjoyed it a lot. The only downside is that you have to be patient with the rising time because you’ll have to leave the dough to rise in the fridge overnight. But other than that, this recipe won’t take too long and all this work will be well worth the result: a luscious, delicious sweet treat for yourself (and all those that appreciate bread and chocolate).

Try it now!

  • Vegan Babka before baking
  • Vegan Babka baked
  • Vegan babka – inside

Pancake Day

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Hello, hello and Happy Pancake Day! I didn’t have anything prepared for this because I just found out. But I couldn’t refrain from writing a post about this because there is a pancake recipe that I have tried a couple of weeks ago and I need to share with you in case you didn’t know about it. You must try it!

So, the recipe is for Fluffy Vegan Blueberry Pancakes by The Viet Vegan: I stumbled upon the video where she makes these pancakes and not only she makes a recipe that is easy (I don’t know if you got it from the past posts, but I like simple yet satisfying recipes) but also she sends some good, positive vibes (she also has a blog where she shares a ton of brilliant recipes, and also some more deep thoughts so go and have a look!), which is what everyone needs.

Here’s the video. Enjoy!

Happy Lunar (Chinese) New Year

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Today is the Lunar New Year, more commonly known as Chinese New Year.

Fu meaning “good fortune”, is the symbol used during these celebrations (source: Macau Photo Agency)

It is mainly known as Chinese New Year, because China is famous for the big celebrations that they do during this day. However, this day is also observed in the rest of Asia, from the Middle East with the Islamic New Year to Vietnam, to Nepal and Indonesia.

Lunar New Year is the first day of the lunisolar calendar which is

A lunisolar calendar is a calendar in many cultures whose date indicates both the Moon phase and the time of the solar year. If the solar year is defined as a tropical year, then a lunisolar calendar will give an indication of the season; if it is taken as a sidereal year, then the calendar will predict the constellation near which the full moon may occur. As with all calendars which divide the year into months there is an additional requirement that the year have a whole number of months. In this case ordinary years consist of twelve months but every second or third year is an embolismic year, which adds a thirteenth intercalary, embolismic, or leap month.

Their months are based on the regular cycle of the Moon‘s phases. So lunisolar calendars are lunar calendars with – in contrast to them – additional intercalation rules being used to bring them into a rough agreement with the solar year and thus with the seasons.

The main other type of calendar is a solar calendar.

Lunisolar calendar, Wikipedia

Now that you know a bit more about why there is another New Year, let’s go and see what is the most traditional food consumed during this day: we have dumplings, sweet&savoury tofu, spring rolls, longevity noodles, etc. I selected some recipes that I have personally tried and can confirm are delicious, easy and quick to make: all pros and no cons.

I’d start with a Vegan Fried Rice, recipe by FoodPassionical. Already since the first time I tried it, I fell in love with it: super easy, using easy-to-find ingredients, and it takes less than 30 minutes to make.

How To Make Vegan Egg Fried Rice | 全素蛋炒饭, Food Passionical

Then I would go for some Vegan Gyoza. They are great both steamed or fried. The only con is the making of the wrappers: I still need to find the right way of making them (I know that it would be easier to buy them, but I always try to make them – You only have yourself to blame, I am aware), but with this recipe they come out very decently. The recipe is by Bianca Zapatka

Followed by some Hotteok by Maangchi. They are nice, and fluffy and rich with nutricious veggies. I made them not long ago, it’s a recipe that doesn’t take too long and with a delicious result.

Hotteok filled with vegetables & noodles (Yachae hotteok: 야채호떡) by Maangchi

This is another recipe by Maangchi: Vegetable Pancake. I make them quite often, because are very easy to prepare, between preparation and cooking time it’s no more than 20 minutes.

Vegetable Pancake (Yachaejeon: 야채전) by Maangchi

To these beauties, I would add some Sweet and crunchy tofu. Every time I make it, I can’t even wait until it’s cooled down: it’s too good! Trust me: you’ll thank me later.

Sweet and crunchy tofu (Dubu-ganjeong: 두부강정) by Maangchi

I hope that you’ll enjoy this day and if you made any of this recipes, please let me know.

Happy Lunar New Year!