Cooking this Vegan Month with the #AVOEXPERTS

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For some, it’s November, and for others, it’s Vegan Month – a global event dedicated to eating a plant-based diet. The vegan revolution has taken the world by storm, with people embracing this lifestyle for its environmental and health benefits. While veggies offer good-for-you nutrients, healthy fats are often overlooked in vegan diets. Thankfully, Westfalia Fruit has the goods!

The vegan movement has created a demand for more nutritious products on grocery store shelves – Westfalia Fruit’s range provides versatile and nutrient-dense solutions.

Plant-based Goodness with the #AVOEXPERTS

Hosted annually on November 1st, World Vegan Day celebrates the benefits of veganism for animals, people and the planet. Since starting nearly three decades ago in 1994, the movement became so popular that a month-long celebration was declared. Participating people across the globe pledge to ‘go vegan’ for 30 days – be it for ethical, health, environmental concerns, or a combination of all three, there are many benefits to embrace.

Part of the commitment means forgoing meat, dairy and any animal-based products. And while die-hard carnivores might ask ‘Where will I get my protein from?’, many don’t question whether they’ll get the right healthy fats, minerals and vitamins. Fortunately, Westfalia Fruit’s avocado-based products ticks many of those boxes.

Nutritious & Delicious

Westfalia Fruit’s incredible range of products is perfect for vegans and vegetarians alike – not only a great source of heart-healthy fats, but also believed to support overall health, aid in better weight management, reduce inflammation, and improve skin health. Fresh avocado can provide the body with fibre, B vitamins, as well as vitamins C and K; magnesium, potassium and folate. Avocado oil provides vitamin E plus plant compounds like polyphenols and carotenoids. Furthermore, healthy fats found in avos are required for enhanced nutrient uptake of essential vitamins and minerals – and not to mention, they’re super delicious.

Contrary to popular belief, healthy doesn’t mean bland. Not convinced? The #AVOEXPERTS will show you how it’s done!

Get the Scoop on Guacamole

Made from the flesh of about two ripe avocados, each tub of Westfalia Fruit Guacamole is creamy and delicious. To ensure you reap all those fantastic health benefits, they pay special attention to food safety practices and top-quality standards. High-pressure processing (HPP) is used, giving the product a yummy, fresh taste without the need for preservatives or additives.

Made from the flesh of about two ripe avocados, each tub of Westfalia Fruit Guacamole is creamy and delicious.

The avocados are hand-scooped to create Westfalia Fruit Guacamole, available in three flavours to satisfy all tastes: Plain, Spicy, and Sweet Chilli Salsa. Dollop over roast veggie bowls to ramp up the nutrition, or bulk up brekkie dishes, tasty sides and delicious dinners – the options are endless.

It all Adds Up with Avocado Oil

Home cooks will love Westfalia Fruit’s versatile range of Avocado Oils. The Plain Avocado Oil is fantastic for everyday cooking. If you don’t like struggling with fresh garlic cloves, their Garlic Flavoured Avocado Oil is ideal. For a zesty kick of flavour, incorporate Westfalia Fruit Lemon Flavoured Avocado Oil into homemade salad dressings.

Avocado oil provides vitamin E plus plant compounds like polyphenols and carotenoids.

If you’re craving something sweet, their Butter Flavoured Avocado Oil is ideal for whipping up tasty, moist bakes. Infuse it into healthy vegan treats like chocolate cakes, or flapjacks. The high smoke point of the Westfalia Fruit Avocado Oil range makes an excellent choice for sautéing, frying, and baking, as well as a finishing oil for drizzling and dunking, and making dressings and marinades.

Turn up the Beet with this Falafel Recipe

Whether you’re committing to Vegan Month or simply want to incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet, this recipe for beetroot falafel with homemade flatbread is a great midweek dinner idea. These falafel are super easy to make and filled with nutritious veggies and protein-packed pulses. We’ve used chickpeas, carrots, onion, beetroot, and harissa paste for umami goodness. Chickpea flour is also an incredible vegan-friendly ingredient, which we’ve used to help bind the ingredients for the falafel.

Fry the falafel in Westfalia Fruit Garlic Flavoured Avocado Oil for an extra kick of flavour. Serve on homemade flatbread, generously dolloped with Westfalia Fruit Plain Guacamole. Before tucking in, top with all the trimmings and enjoy!

Recipe: Beetroot Falafel on Flatbread with Guacamole

Savour these irresistible beetroot falafel served on toasted flatbread with creamy guacamole, pickled onions, and tahini drizzle.

Serves: 4 | Prep time: 60 minutes (excluding resting time for falafel and flatbread dough) | Cook time: 30 minutes | Difficulty: moderate

Ingredients

Beetroot Falafel

100 g (3-4 small) raw beetroot, peeled & finely grated
1 large carrot, peeled & finely grated
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 x 400 g tin chickpeas, drained & rinsed
2 garlic cloves, finely grated (optional)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) harissa paste
1 tsp (5 ml) ground coriander
1½ tsp (7.5 ml) ground cumin
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
1 tsp (5 ml) pepper
150 g (1½ C) chickpea flour or cake wheat flour
¼ C (60 ml) Westfalia Fruit Garlic Flavoured Avocado Oil for frying

Flatbread

1¾ C (430 ml) cake wheat flour
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
1 tsp (5 ml) coarse salt
¾ C (180 ml) plain cultured coconut yoghurt
2-3 Tbsp (30-45 ml) water (as needed)
Westfalia Fruit Garlic Flavoured Avocado Oil for frying

Tahini Drizzle

3 Tbsp (45 ml) tahini paste
2 Tbsp (30 ml) white wine vinegar
1 tsp (5 ml) maple or date syrup
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
½ tsp (2.5 ml) pepper
2 tsp (10 ml) Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp (45 ml) Westfalia Fruit Lemon Flavoured Avocado Oil

To Serve

1 x 200 g tub Westfalia Fruit Plain Guacamole
½ cucumber, cut into small cubes
1 tomato, cut into small cubes
30 g (roughly 2 handfuls) wild rocket, washed
45 g pickled red onion
1 Tbsp (15 ml) sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Method

Falafel

In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients except the flour and garlic-flavoured avocado oil. Pulse a few times to roughly chop the ingredients, then add the flour. Continue to pulse to achieve a chunky consistency – avoid over-blending to a smooth paste.

Portion out a tablespoon of mixture at a time and roll into a ball, making approximately 20 in total. Place onto a baking tray and gently press down with the back of a spoon to flatten slightly (this gives more surface area when pan-frying). Place the tray in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes, so that the falafel are firm before frying.

Flatbread

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt, and stir to combine. Add the coconut yoghurt to the flour and mix thoroughly to form a dough. If the dough is too dry, add one tablespoon of water at a time until it comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for approximately 5 minutes to achieve a smooth, supple texture. Cover the dough and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and lightly dust the countertop with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece into a flat disk that will fit into your frying pan. Heat a drizzle of garlic-flavoured avocado oil in the frying pan and place a flatbread into the pan; fry until it begins to puff up, which should take about 1 minute. Flip it over and fry for another minute. The flatbread should be golden and have a slight char. Repeat this process with the remaining dough portions.

Tahini Drizzle

Add the tahini paste, white wine vinegar, syrup, salt, pepper and Dijon mustard to a blender. Blitz briefly until combined. Add the lemon-flavoured avocado oil to the mixture, a tablespoon at a time, blending to achieve a smooth and emulsified drizzle. Put the drizzle into a squeezy bottle (optional) and set aside. Tip: any leftover drizzle can be refrigerated for another meal.

Make the Falafel

Remove the falafel from the fridge. Heat a thin layer of garlic-flavoured avocado oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add 6-8 falafel at a time and fry for about 2 minutes before turning. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes until golden on both sides. Remove from the pan and place on a kitchen towel to drain any excess oil. Repeat this process until all of the falafel are cooked.

To Serve

Spread 2 tablespoons of Westfalia Fruit Plain Guacamole on the base of each flatbread, and top with 3-4 falafel. Add chopped cucumber and tomato, a few sprigs of rocket, and pickled onion. Drizzle with tahini sauce and garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.