By Gretchen McKay From Pittsburgh Post-Gazette When it comes to favorite sandwiches, one meat-and-veggie combination stands head and shoulders above the rest: bacon, lettuce and tomato. A BLT is easy to prepare, uses humble ingredients and each bite provides an intoxicating mix of salty, crunchy, cool and tangy-sweet. But what if you don’t eat meat?…

With a symphony of satisfying textures and assertive flavors, it’s easy to see why chicken Caesar wraps have long been a grab-and-go mainstay for busy folks. My vegan-friendly version swaps in protein-rich roasted chickpeas for the usual sliced chicken and features a Caesar dressing doppelgänger that’s made with creamy tahini. Ideal for meal prep, the…

By Gretchen McKay From Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Mushrooms often get a bad rap for being slimy and too “earthy.” Yet if you’re a fan, varieties such as portobello, cremini and oyster mushrooms can help you work more vegetarian dishes into your rotating meal plan. All make excellent substitutions for beef or pork in any number of…

Plant-based food companies can now label their alternative milk products, such as oat and almond milk, as “milk,” according to draft labeling recommendations that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released on Feb. 22. But if companies do call their products “milk,” the guidance recommends they should clearly label the beverage’s plant source, such…

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing continues to reshape America’s private sector. It may soon help dictate the food served at a hospital near you. The boards of directors for several major American healthcare companies have been sent shareholder proposals from proxy-holders of U.S. Climate Vegan ETF, an exchange-traded fund from the vegan investment firm…

One stroll through a mid-August farmers market and you’ll find piles of peppers, overflowing milk crates of summer squash and flats of tomatoes that seem to be every color of the rainbow. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the season’s bounty, but if you take just a moment to think, it’s equally easy to get…

Do you have a busy week and no time to think about what to make for dinner tonight? No worries, we got your back with a simple, healthy vegetarian take on a weeknight staple. This stuffed peppers recipe swaps out ground beef for heart-healthy quinoa and lentils, turning a childhood dinner upside down. This recipe is perfect for…

Reassuring logos and label claims on meat substitutes may offer a comforting image. However, in today’s strange world of food-processing technology, marketing wizardry, and chronic diseases, it’s more important than ever to make informed food choices. When it becomes popular to avoid certain items or ingredients, the food industry responds with a substitute that simulates…

The headlines behind the macronutrient needs of the body (also called “macros”), which make up carbohydrate, fat, and protein, have been either glorified or demonized over the years. In the 1990s, fat was supposedly the undisputed culprit for heart disease, and at the advent of the 2000s, the Atkins Diet and South Beach Diet had…

By Gretchen McKay From Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Apr. 18—Lottie Bildirici learned the hard way that it’s not enough to train and have goals to become a better runner. What you eat before and after workouts also has a dramatic impact on your body’s health and endurance. After taking up running in her senior year of high…