Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Savory Plant-Based Recipes for a Sustainable Holiday Spread

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Make this holiday season a compassionate one by tucking into a hearty spread of plant-based dishes, courtesy of Future Farm.

Future Farm, a Brazil-based food company, is bringing the festive cheer with tasty, meat-free versions of classic holiday dishes, from buttermilk cornbread stuffing to shepherd’s pie fritters. (Warning: hunger-inducing recipes for a show-stopping holiday meal are ahead!)

Future Farm’s plant-based meat

From animal cruelty to pollutants, the meat industry is a dirty business. 

Beef, in particular, has one of the biggest environmental impacts—far greater than even pork and chicken, according to a 2014 study. Moreover, the production of beef requires 160 times more land and generates 11 times more greenhouse gas emissions than many plant-based staples like potatoes, rice, and wheat.

“Humanity cannot go on eating the way it does,” explained Alexandre Ruberti, the U.S. CEO of Future Farm. “We have to shift away from such an animal-heavy diet where you inefficiently grow plants to feed animals to feed humans. Simply, it’s just not sustainable.” 

Founded in 2019, Future Farm is on a mission to change the way the world eats—one meal at a time. The company is looking to take the unsustainable bite out of meat with its eco-friendly range of plant-based meat products.

thanksgiving wine pairings
Courtesy Libby Penner | Unsplash

The entire line—which includes Future Burger, Smoked Future Burger, Future Beef, Future Meatballs, and Future Sausage—is non-GMO and made with natural ingredients like chickpeas, peas, soybeans, plant extracts, and beets.

What makes the company’s products more sustainable? For starters, they emit far less greenhouse gas emissions. 

“We know that switching to a plant-based diet is one of the most impactful ways we can fight climate change, as animal meat and dairy account for 80 percent of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions,” Ruberti continued. “The Future Farm Burger is a great choice because it’s carbon neutral, uses 92 percent less land and 96 percent less water than a regular beef burger, and has 99 percent less carbon emissions than a beef burger.”

Future Farm, which has raised $89 million in funding to date, is set to launch a handful of new products in the U.S. in 2023, including Future Chick’n, Future Tvna, and Future Hot Dog. Visit www.futurefarm.io to learn more about the brand’s delectable vegan meats.

Eat the Future

Future Farm has you covered this holiday season with these hearty, plant-based recipes—a buttermilk cornbread stuffing featuring Future Sausage and shepherd’s pie fritters featuring Future Beef. Dig in!

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Buttermilk Cornbread Stuffing with Future Sausage

Course Main Course
Keyword vegan
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 8
Author Chef Dennis Samala

Ingredients

  • 3/4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cups brown onion, diced
  • 3/4 cup leeks, chopped
  • 1 pound Future Sausage, casing removed, large coarse chopped
  • 3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted
  • 1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup unsalted vegan butter, melted
  • 5 cups cornbread stuffing
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar, dark brown
  • 1 1/2 tbsp sage, rubbed
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

  • In a large cast iron skillet, heat olive oil.
  • Add onions and leek cook until translucent.
  • Add Future sausage and cook until browned.
  • Place into stainless steel bowl and set aside.
  • In the same cast iron skillet, prepare cornbread stuffing according to instructions.
  • Add pecans, parsley, lemon zest, brown sugar, sage, and prepared cornbread with vegetables. Toss to combine.
  • Add cornbread stuffing mixture back into cast iron skillet.
  • Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Place cast iron skillet, cover with foil and bake for 20 – 25 minutes.
  • Remove foil and back for another 15 – 20 minutes, until top is browned.
  • Serve hot, and enjoy!
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Future Shepherd’s Pie Fritters

Course Main Course
Keyword vegan
Servings 12
Author Chef Dennis Samala

Ingredients

Future Ground Meat Filling

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup onions, small diced
  • 1/2 cup carrots, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 8 ounces Future Minced meat
  • 1 bay leaf, dry
  • 3/4 cup mushroom stock
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, vegan
  • 1 1/2 tbsp tomato puree
  • sea salt, to taste
  • black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Mashed Potato Balls

  • 13.75 ounces mashed potato, instant, Idahoan
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • sea salt, to taste
  • black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Shepherd's Pie Fritters

  • mashed potato balls
  • Future Ground meat filling
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 6 Just Egg
  • 6 cups Panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

Future Ground Meat Filling

  • Heat sauté pan with olive oil.
  • Add onions, carrots, and garlic and cook until slightly softened.
  • Add Future minced meat and cook until browned.
  • Add bay leaf, stock, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato puree. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for 20 – 30 minutes until sauce is almost completely evaporated.
  • The filling should not be wet. Continue to simmer for a few more minutes until the filling is no longer wet.
  • Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.
  • Set aside and leave to cool.

Mashed Potato Balls

  • In a 4-quart sauce pan add 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil.
  • In a stainless steel bowl, add instant mashed potato and hot water. Mix with a fork until smooth. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.
  • Mix the corn starch with the cooled mashed potato.
  • Using a scooper, scoop 1⁄4 cup of mashed potato into balls and set aside.

Shepherd's Pie Fritters

  • Place mashed potato ball into the palm of your hand and press into a flat disc. Add 1 tablespoon of Future ground meat filling to the center of the disk. Bring them together towards the center of the disk and cover the filling. If the filling is not completely covered add more potato to coat.
  • Roll stuffed potato balls into all-purpose flour, followed by the beaten egg and then panko breadcrumb. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.
  • Set aside until ready for use.

Assembly

  • Make brown gravy sauce, set aside and keep warm.
  • Preheat oil into 4-quart saucepan, up to 355 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Place shepherd’s pie fritter into the fryer and cook until golden brown. Set aside to drain. Keep warm.
  • Continue frying the remaining fritters and set aside to drain. Keep warm.
  • Arrange on platter and garnish with finely chopped parsley.
  • Serve with brown gravy, and enjoy!

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