About veggino
Whether you are already living a plant-based lifestyle, or just interested to know about what it is, veggino is the practical guidebook for embracing a new way of life that starts on your plate and may seep into other aspects of your life in Japan. In both English and Japanese, we provide you with practical information, from getting to know about a plant-based lifestyle, all the way to grocery shopping, cooking, eating out and keeping healthy.
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Latest Blog Posts
Understanding Sourdough
You have a starter, you have the basic tools, now let’s understand some of the terminology for sourdough baking. This is an overview to consolidate and share what I’ve learned as fail-safe ways for an amateur home-baker to succeed every time at baking sourdough bread. Where relevant, I have shared what I think are the best videos or sites should you wish to learn each of the components in more detail.
The Glamorous Side of Plant-Based
It’s no secret that plant-based food is becoming mainstream. Whether it’s college campuses cutting beef from cafeteria menus or governments adopting the Meat Free Monday movement, plant-based food is no longer hiding in the closet. But in the past year plant-based food has taken center stage in some of the most high-profile events and venues on the planet, recognized mainly for its environmental and ethical advantages.
A Plant-based Pregnancy
As of the date I found out I was pregnant, I had already been eating only plant-based for 3 years so there was no dispute as to what my diet would look like for the duration of pregnancy. However, I was also aware that in Japan, this would be a challenge as a) many doctors and midwives may not be familiar with the diet enough to recommend and support my decision, and b) family and relatives would not hesitate to point fingers at my ‘not normal’ diet if/when something was not looking right.
Starting Sourdough
I will admit, staying at home due to COVID, while pregnant sparked my curiosity to start sourdough baking. It’s also quite hard to find 100% animal-free bread in Japan – so why not bake at home? Through trial and error, I now bake tasty sourdough bread a few times a week at home. Sharing some tips and tricks to keep it simple and (hopefully) fail-safe.
My Path To A Plant-Based Lifestyle
My personal story about how I made the decision to go plant-based is much more down-to-earth than most. No life-changing epiphanies or emotional scars, but rather a perfectly rational decision that started in late 2011 in a little upstate New York town.
Vitamin B12 In A Plant-Based Diet And Why You MUST Eat It
B12 is an absolutely crucial micronutrient for our bodies, and a lot of people (both plant-based and not, but more so the former) don’t get enough of it. But worry not: you can get an ample supply of B12 on a 100% plant-based diet. After reading this article, you’ll know exactly how to get it.
Latest Recipes
80% Hydration Sourdough Bread
The recipe is for 80% hydration which is what I bake, and what I recommend when using majority whole-wheat. However, you can tweak the amount of water vs the indicated flour to 70% if this is your first time as it would be a lot easier to handle with lower hydration.
Sourdough Starter
To bake sourdough bread, you need a sourdough starter (basically a natural form of levain, or the yeast in baking if you will). If you are making the starter from scratch, I suggest you make the starter at least a week before you intend to bake any bread to make it active.
Hiyashi Chuka Sauce
When it’s tough to buy noodles to your liking with a sauce that is plant-based and tasty….you start making at home! This is a staple Japanese / Chinese fusion dish that is commonly seen in the summer in most ramen stands in Japan. I love it all year round though!
No Oil Hearty Lentil Soup
I bake a lot of sourdough bread at home. A good hearty soup packed with lentils is my go-to when I want a simple way to eat lots of goodness with a loaf of bread. I do no-oil for myself, but for those gourmet folks, I have added how you can make it even better with some olive oil and veg broth. To blend it, I use an immersion blender (hand blender).
No-Ferment Kimchi
After realizing how hard it was to pop into a supermarket and find Kimchi without any marine products (squid/shrimp intestines), I started making my own.
Real Gyoza
This gyoza has been a staple for when we have non-plant-based guests. With the added salting of vegetables, you can be sure you will have a flavor-packed, delicious gyoza that’s great with beer, ramen, or on its own!
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