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These days, plant-based foods seem to be on most people’s radar.
Cassava puffs
Solomon Cohen, of Evans-based Cassava Breads, is a chef trained in all manner of healthy foods, including vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotic and raw. In 2017, Cohen started Cassava, focusing on making gluten-free artisan bread rolls, using cassava root and cassava starch. He prepares traditional rolls (with cheddar, Asiago, Parmesan and Romano cheeses), as well as garlic herb rolls, both reminiscent of pão de queijo, or Brazilian cheese bread. He also makes vegan versions in chili lime and sweet potato herb flavors. Each roll is a 2-inch puff, packed with flavor. We served these as dinner rolls, accompanying a salad and a bowl of soup, but we also enjoyed them as stand-alone snacks. Their savory flavor and light texture need no adornment. Heated from frozen, they take only 5 minutes to be ready to serve.
$7 per nine-roll package. Available at Kelly’s Market, Lucy’s Market, the Front Porch Market, the Brookhaven Farmers Market or at cassavabreads.com.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Oat yogurt
Nondairy yogurts have been around since the 1990s, and you’ll find a variety of them on your grocery store’s shelves. But, we hadn’t seen oat yogurt until we were introduced to Atlanta-based La Crèmerie at the Brookhaven Farmers Market. We started with the plain yogurt, a very simple combination of oats, water and live yogurt cultures. It does taste mildly of oats, so it’s a match for those who love that flavor. And, while we would have told you that we absolutely would not like chocolate yogurt, we would have been wrong. Le Crèmerie’s version is cocoa-rich and just sweet enough. It’s like creamy chocolate pudding, without all the sugar and fat. Enjoying it at breakfast feels like a total indulgence. Look for the Taste of Seasons booth at a nearby farmers market.
$2.50 per 5.3-ounce container of plain, lime, chocolate or pumpkin spice yogurt. Available seasonally at the Brookhaven, Decatur, East Atlanta Village and Virginia-Highland farmers markets, year-round at the Morningside Farmers Market, and at taste-of-seasons.com.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Un-Honey
Vegans believe that honey belongs to the bees who make it, and who need it to survive and thrive. So, what to use as a sweetener? The Single Origin Food Co. of Delaware produces three organic, alternative, plant-based sweeteners that they call Un-Honey. We tried the lightest, blonde Un-Honey — coconut nectar by another name. The flavor is not at all of coconut, but just of lightly floral sweetness. You could imagine using this anywhere you would have enjoyed wildflower honey. There are darker, richer Un-Honey versions, as well. Amber is cane nectar, so it might be closest to traditional Southern cane syrup, and copper is date nectar. Each is made of nectar sourced from one farm, hence the name of the company.
$7.29 per 8-ounce bottle. Available at Sprouts or at plantx.com/products/the-single-origin-food-co-amber-vegan-un-honey-8-oz. Information at thesofco.com.
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