We always look forward to reading (and trying out) the delicious recipes provided to us by The Happy Pear. In our Autumn 2021 issue, they knocked it out of the park again, with a delectable lasagne and pudding combo. Check them out below!
plant based food
The Happy Pear’s recipes never fail to get our mouths watering and our tummies rumbling … and their Summer 2020 offerings were no exception to that rule! Read on below to feast your eyes on their recipes for a gorgeous pasta all’arrabbiatta and a chocolate and salted caramel tart.
Vegan Season for Cornucopia: New Cookbook Arrives!
Here at Positive Life, we have long been huge fans of the renowned vegetarian restaurant, Cornucopia. So when we heard they were releasing a new entirely vegan cookbook called The Green Cookbook, we just had to feature them in our Winter 2019/20 magazine! The article below appears in our ever-popular Short and Sweet section.
The Planted Bean is an up-and-coming café and food business situated on Baggot Road in Dublin 7. It offers a wide range of both savoury and sweet plant-based food options, all of which are made without oil, refined sugars or processed ingredients. The promotion of excellent health is central to the business’ ethos – founder Kevin Odgers says he would never offer anything to a customer that he would not give to his own children. Read on to learn more!
Planting Seeds of Health
by Aisling Cronin
The Planted Bean is an up-and-coming café and food business situated on Baggot Road in Dublin 7. It offers a wide range of both savoury and sweet plant-based food options, all of which are made without oil, refined sugars or processed ingredients. Founder and head chef Kevin Odgers is passionate about the quality of his food. When I visited the Planted Bean recently, he said he would never offer anything to a customer that he wouldn’t give to his own children.
When asked what inspired him to set up the business, he replied with just one word. ‘Cancer.’ Prior to being diagnosed with skin cancer a few years ago, Kevin had spent 22 years as a chef. The diagnosis prompted him to evaluate how his food choices could assist his recovery. He is also passionate about advocating for animals through his work, by showing customers that plant-based foods can be extremely tasty and satisfying.
The café first opened its doors in December 2017, but it has already attracted a significant fanbase. When I was there, the space – small as it is – was constantly busy, with a steady stream of customers coming in and out to collect a quick snack or cup of coffee. I tried their Mexican Quinoa Burger, which was both incredibly indulgent and healthy: a rare feat! Other savoury options available on the day included vegan sushi, Grain Buddha Bowls (consisting of broccoli, kale, red quinoa, red cabbage, beetroot hummus, spicy chickpeas and cherry tomatoes) and a scrumptious-looking chickpea wrap.
I can highly recommend The Planted Bean’s desserts too. I took home their raw Snickers bar and their brownie – both of which were affordable and tasty. I was also highly impressed by the quality of their coffee. I took it with oat milk, which lent the coffee a delicious creamy flavour. The café also serves soya and almond milk.
The Planted Bean’s menu changes every week. Changes are announced on their Facebook page. It is open each Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., so make sure you check it out during one of these beautiful summer weekends.
Get Ready For a Plant-Based Sensation at Alpro’s NEW Dublin Popup This Week
In the mood to try out an amazing plant-based foodie treat? If so, be sure to visit the pop-up Alpro Planquet experience at No. 57 South William Street this week – starting today, Tuesday April 24th and continuing until Monday April 30th. The Planquet will be open for business from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
A ‘planquet’ is, quite simply, any meal that puts plants first: making veggies, fruits, whole grains, pulses, legumes, nuts and seeds the star of the show. This week’s Alpro Planquet pop-up is aimed at showing Dubliners just how good a plant-based banquet can be.
The popular food and fitness author Dr Hazel Wallace (The Food Medic) has teamed up with the well-known plant-based products company Alpro for this event.
Dr. Wallace, who hails from Co. Louth, was pleased to contribute her skills and experience to ensuring this event would be a success. “I’m keen to show the world just how easy eating more plants can be, and I am thrilled to be partnering with a brand at the forefront of spreading this message,” she explained. “I am so excited to be involved in the first ever Irish Alpro Planquet and hope that by showing our guests how ultra-tasty and super simple plant-based meals can be, I can inspire them to eat more plants at home.”
The Planquet is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day from Tuesday April 24th to Monday April 30th. A refreshing range of breakfasts, lunches and dinners will be served there. From 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., you can savour overnight oats, muesli or granola, together with Alpro’s range of plant-based drinks and alternatives to yogurt. From 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., why not pop in for lunch? Crisp salads, homemade veggie burgers and nourishing curries will be on offer at this time. From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., it’s dinner time. The menu will include mushroom and tofu stroganoff served with garlic bread, yellow curry with just a hint of fennel, and spicy Mexican fajitas. Visitors will also be able to try Alpro’s new duo of ice-cold coffee drinks, Alpro Caffé as well as its creamy, light plant-based ice-cream. Who can say no to that?
The Alpro Planquet will be up and running at No. 57 South William Street from Tuesday, April 24 until Monday, April 30, 2018, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. You can check out Alpro’s website here, while more information about Dr. Wallace can be found at her site, thefoodmedic.co.uk.