I'm Indian and my dad would make this chickpea saag that was SO delicious and actually pretty simple. He sometimes would add a small bit of cream to it, but when I went dairy free I added coconut cream instead. However, I bet you could absolutely use silken tofu and cashews instead to amp up the protein. Just another variation on a high protein chickpea curry. Indian teaspoon measurement so more like an actual small spoon: • Two bunches of fresh spinach (about 400 gms) • 2tsps of chopped garlic • 3-4 small tomatoes (diced into small pieces) • 2 15.5 ounce chick peas cans • Tomato paste 2 tbs (optional) • 2 tsps methi leaves • 8-10 green chillies chopped (or as you like) • ¼ tsp white pepper powder • 6 red chillies • 4-5 tsps salt • 1/2 tsp chili power • cilantro • 2 tbs spoons light cream (optional) Blanch and grind the spinach. Fry the aromatics, then spices, tomatoes and salt, add spinach and chickpeas and cook for like 20 min. Personally I would add more than 2 tbs of cream than the recipe calls because the tomatoes make it pretty acidic, but it's all to taste.
So, I'm dealing with some major depressive issues that I probably shouldn't talk about online, but I just want to say thank you for your content. You crack me up and it helps so much. I am also going to try all of these.
thank you for the love and for letting me know that you feel like this is a safe space. Be gentle with yourself and know that there is so much light and love and happiness awaiting you, just keep taking it day by day. Don't forget to spoil yourself because you really do deserve it. You will come through the other side of this
I know it's hard to cope with existential dread and feeling out of control, but I wanted to say that 1, your content really helps me feel more hopeful about being able to make small changes in my own life, 2, helps me feel more in control, and 3, keeps me from depressive spirals at times! I go back and rewatch some of your vegan reviews when I'm in a funk and it genuinely helps, even if it's only a little bit some days :) I know that's not much but I hope you can take comfort in the fact!!! For some positive news, I'm applying to apartments and trying to get into a better situation location-wise for my mental health and a ton of the buildings I'm looking at have community gardens! It's so exciting!!!
Thank you so much for sharing, that does make me feel better and like I'm putting some good out into the world. I'll remember what you said next time the dread creeps in. Excited for you and your move , good for you for prioritizing your mental health!
Merle, I’ve been watching your videos when I can’t fall asleep or am feeling overwhelmed. And I immediately feel a sense of calm and ease. Thank you for your videos. So appreciated 💛
Merle I just stopped to think during this video, man I love watching your videos, it’s an instant click. Love your personality and how much of a foodie you are, but i equally love your specific food ratings and you still have high standards for how good a dish can be! Keep em coming!!
For me, the "sad"/difficult part of trying these viral recipes (which looks delicious): in the most cases, they're crazy expensive… 🤣 the amount of nutritional yeast (even half recipe) is crazy, where I live it's so expensive. And don't even get my started with cashews (waaaaaaay expensive, sad 🤣 ).
@@emilyfeldman8788 not really; where I live nutritional yeast isn't a common ingredient; it became available just a few years ago and it's imported so… very expensive.
@vitorhugolab do you have access to tahini? I love tahini instead of cashew cream. And chick peas or lentils can be used instead of white beans. I don't really like nutritional yeast, so... I probably wouldn't add it myself. Yes the substitutions will make it taste a little different, but you really just want a creamy garlic sauce with a roasted vegetable and it will be good.
I'm commenting to support you Merle.. you're a beautiful soul! I'm miserable but i feel good when i watch your videos.. I worry about things that don't even exist for me.. I'm a student and my life's almost breaking apart ...but you're a breath of fresh air.. You always make my brain 🧠 smile.
Merle, I love these high protein series - please never stop. Also LOVE sophplantkitchen - tried a couple of her recipes in the past! Saw a comment of yours saying you may try more affordable high protein recipes, which I'm fully down for ❤
You can up the protein in your dishes by using black rice. #1 It is D E L I C I O U S! Kind of nutty in flavor. #2 The nutrition is superior. It has 6g of protein per cup compared to white rice which has like 3g per cup. The only downside is it can be pricey and hard to find. I just source mine on Amazon.
I’m Indian and I just want to say one thing, don’t worry too much about “authenticity”. The concept I feel is slightly overrated and you keep mentioning it loads in all your videos like this one. It’s ok, there are a 1000 diff versions of curry across India anyway. Maybe say it once if you feel the need to and it’s totally fine. The curry looked awesome btw!
Hi Merle! I totally get you dude, I recently moved back in with my parents bc of inflation and they're not vegan and it's just been really hard going from living with my vegan partner for 5 years and then coming here. I am very grateful that I am living here, it just was difficult for my mental health. Anyway, I started volunteering for an organization called Brigada Animal in Mexico and it's helped my dread so much! We can't change the world by ourselves, so we have to think about the little stuff we can control and let go of other stuff if we can. If we get paralyzed, then we're not helping anybody
So we use dry beans in our house and what we do is we soak them overnight and then pressure cook them the next day for about 20-30 minutes. They get the perfect texture! Hope this helps ❤
I love this and I love that you actually plated the food! I have such a problem with portion control, so it drives me nuts on tiktok to watch these videos about like "quick healthy vegan meal!" and it's the biggest pan of food you've ever seen in your life and the creator is dipping in and eating right over all of it but then they'll say it's 4 servings. It's like body dysmorphia for food.
I can't wait for the new series. I love long informative video essays, and to know there is one coming from you? I know its going to be well researched.
Hey, my sister runs a project that knits/ crochets climate data to show climate change. They exhibit these pieces to museums and colleges and run workshops at these locations to teach people about climate data. They sell kits so people can make their own. It's called the Tempestry Project. I am very proud of her.
thank you for helping me find more plant based recipes ☺ i have been able to eat a lot cheaper as a result of eating more plant based (not fully vegan yet, but hope to get there someday) and appreciate it as a college student
Love u Merle!!! My good news: I did my first tattoo at my apprenticeship!! :) it was a skull, on myself. Something that’s helped me with the climate stuff is honestly… logging out. I simply leave those issues to those better equipped mentally. I just don’t believe I have to mentally suffer under the weight of constant knowledge and bad news if I’m truly doing my best to be kind to the planet and other people. And… if the crisis IS as dire as it seems, I wouldn’t want to spend what time we have in panic or depression. I have to find a way to personally live life despite how horrible things seem, and to become joyful no matter what. I think that’s really saved my life… I also try my best to remain moderate/apolitical on most issues (as in- I don’t feel my opinion is needed. That DOES NOT MEAN I won’t stand up for the people in my life that don’t have a voice or are marginalized. It just means I don’t put a political belief behind it, because the message is heard better by everyone when politics are removed and we humanize the situation rather than continuing to talk about it like it’s a public forum debate and as if one person is causing every issue to ever exist just because they’re a dick. Yanno?) life is beautiful whej I focus on MY life. And what I can do for the people right in front of me, and for my backyard and community. This way of life is not for everyone! Some really enjoy and benefit from using their voice and platform for issues. Me personally, I can’t handle it mentally. And nobody can make me handle it, when I know I can’t. Love y’all, stay kind 🩷🩷🩷
Just found out about your channel today! You’re so funny! Great recipes too! Thank you! It’s been an intense couple weeks (a loved one is passing over ❤️🌈❤️) and watching your video is the first time I laughed in a couple weeks. Your puns are so funny! You are such a joy! You’re awesome! Thank you for your videos!
Thank you so much for your kind words and I am sending you and your loved ones a big hug. I'm honored to be able to offer you a little bit of peace during this time.
They all look delish! 🤤 A little "hack" that I've been doing for a while is keeping a bag in the freezer where I add all my veggie scraps. When you have enough you can make a nice veggie soup or broth. Just an idea for people that don't have a composting bin 😊
DAMN THOSE CURSED DRY BEANS!!!!!!! I feel that existential dread too. Excited for your new series. When you eat your zucchini, courgette, baby marrows, etc you're gonna have a gourd time!
I love these videos where you test other people's recipes and give your take on them. I would love to see you test some Thai vegan recipes this way. Thanks for all you do!
hi merle I love your videos so much! 💛about the beans.. apparently if dried beans are more than 2 yrs old they dont get soft anymore because they start to produce lignin, which is the same stuff thats in wood.
Just started my summer garden and recently got into mushroom growing. Highly suggest north spore sells little kits for oyster mushrooms and lions mane.
@MerleONeal yes they sell mushroom in a box kits that don't need a lot of room. Additionally, Back to the Roots has a similar product and sells at lowes or Amazon.
Ok, let me change your life: My go-to weekly ritual is to take all my veggie scraps from the week and make them into a broth! You CAN do this AND still compost it! Basically, I keep a plastic bag in my freezer and once it's full of veggie scraps, I add herbs, cover in water, and boil/simmer them until reduced by a significant amount (prob like a third?) strain out the veg (puuush all that good juice out!) then return the liquid to the pan, add salt, and boil/reduce a little more. Throw veg bits into compost. BOOM! The best broth ever and it's practically free. I use it all week for recipes and whatnot!
Yay! Love watching your videos! Question-is there a nut that you think would work in place of cashews in these type of recipes? Although I love cashews, I am allergic...
Definitely going to try all 3 of these, I think I'll have to add more to the zucchini dish though to make it a full meal, maybe a potato topping? Trying to think of happy climate things... I work for a company that is planning/ trying to get to carbon net zero, which is great 😀
Haha okay first of all, I’m glad I’m not the only one who uses my tofu water rag to wipe up afterwards. Second, I made this butter bean recipe and added miso to the cashew cream mixture and it really helped deepen the flavor profile! So good with crunchy sour dough!
Hey Merle! Sprouts sells a super super firm high protein tofu that has 14 grams of protein per serving, it’s 5 or 6 servings I think! They are always sold out and I am one of the people that buys all of that specific tofu. It’s become a serious staple in my home because my boyfriend and I are vegan/vegetarian! If you haven’t tried it, please do! It will help so much with protein intake! I love you and love when you post videos! Thanks so much for all your time and energy! :)
It’s too low unless she is using a convection oven. I tried this recipe a while ago and it was terrible bc I don’t have a convection oven. Mushy, watery zucchini 🤮
you can also use damp paper towels to put under your cutting board so the board doesn't slide around! very nice looking recipes, you definitely made me wanna try the first one!
Hey Merle! I wonder if in one of your deep dive episodes, you can talk a bit more about farming in California specifically. I’m jealous a bit about the year round produce you guys get, but I imagine that comes at a price? Migrant workers picking, climate change (drought) vs. the water needs for growing said crops. Perhaps many other nuances I’m not mentioning. Maybe it’s something!
that tofu was bomb! i also made the zucchini dish, changed it up a bit by making it in a pan and used it as a sauce for some lentil pasta. was also very good 🥰
I got a composting bin and it's going well :D Also my husband and I bought a full electric car this year and my city is next to a waterfall so a huge portion of our electricity is supplemented by hydro power! Yay!
Whether or not you make an episode your response and the comments on my comment have given me some inspiration for my very limited diet ❤ iv been a fan for countless yrs... I love seeing you do your own thing... I feel so special so I can't thank you enough for the response and it means so much ❤
I love the high-protein recipe videos!! especially the ""trying viral TikTok, Instagram, high protein" etc. type vids! Maybe like a "high protein snacks, desserts, lunches" type video, "trying vegan recipes under 10 minutes", or "trying vegan recipes under x amount of dollars"!! Also, I love the informative climate change video idea as a vegan myself. Great vid!! :D
I choose a few things to worry about in the world, bc otherwise it's gets too depressing. So maybe try doing that, one of the Green brothers gave me that great tip.
Hey Merle! Maybe you have already, but did you try brining the beans? According to Cook's Illustrated, they say that brining dried beans in salted water overnight can help with splitting and crumbling.
I use silicone resealable sandwich bags to reduce plastic waste, really focus on eating down my left overs to reduce food waste, and I use as little water as possible when washing dishes to reduce over usage of water (and even go turn down the water when my husband is washing dishes because he lets it GUSH out lol) I also get and cook meatless options whenever I can!
I worked as a chef in a vegetarian restaurant for years. It’s not you it’s butterbeans. Every other bean cooks fine every time. Butterbeans fall apart about half of the time even doing nothing wrong, so very very often the menu would change from having a butterbean salad on it to having an x-vegetable and butterbean soup on the menu. And a butterbean pâté…. 😅
Have been eating plant-based for years now and don't have a fancy, expensive blender.There's only two of us, so I make so much of our stuff in the Nutribullet that I have had for years - rarely need to haul out my old, cheap blender. The bullet is inexpensive, has different size containers, is lightweight, easy to clean and makes really smooth sauces in just a couple minutes - what's not to love?
Curry doesn't have a specific taste. It's just a mixture of spices in a gravy/sauce and the spices can change. It's a word the Brits made up but it looks good just the same (I say this as if I'm not a Brit myself and just found this out about curry lol). I'll definitely try out these recipes. Edit: I like to use veggie scraps to make broth. I have a big bag I keep in the freezer that I refill. Zucchini doesn't have much flavour but you could use the scraps anyway. I also recently learned frozen zucchini is good in smoothies. It makes it healthier but you can't taste it at all. It's like adding ice to the smoothie.
I really like your videos :) I am also a great fan of sophie and i also like her recipes. I really liked it that you encluded them in this video :) I have a tipp for you concerning cooking with dried beans: i used to simply cook them on the stove after soaking them over night in cold water. But they never came out great. So i buyed an instant pot and prepared the beans by pressure cooking them for only 9 minutes and they came out great. In my opinion it is pretty impossible to cook beans on the stove. There are also pressure cooker that you can put on the stove that aren't as expensive as an instant pot. Also, when you cook beans on the stove don't add any salt. If you add salt the outside of the beans will loose water and become more hard. p.s. i hope everything is understandable. I'm not a native speaker.
Based on how the tofu looked in the last guy's video it looked like he used Superfirm tofu (either the Wildwood or Trader Joe's brand)n which give 15 g per serving or about 37 g for half the container. Regular firm tofu will not give enough protein.
I just had a health scare so I need to cut out red meat, I already can't eat beans because of gi problems and I'm prone to anemia and I'm also allergic to soy. Could you do a video of vegan recipes with no beans or tofu and have iron? I know it's a lot, I haven't come up with much but also don't know where to start. Would be very much appreciated! Love your videos ❤ oh I'm also sensitive to yeast.... I feel like I have very few options
I haven't tried edimame and if I eat too many nuts like cashews it runs right through me.... I don't like peanuts unfortunately but other nuts seem to be fine
@@sarastevens2973please do not eat edamame if you have a soy allergy. Edamame is just young soy beans. Peas can be high protein additions, and cost effective if you buy frozen peas or cook dried peas yourself. It can be used in placement of a lot of soy, and beans and chickpeas in recipes, but it can change the flavor of a dish. If you can handle gluten, seitan/wheat gluten can be a good addition of protein and used as a “meat” replacement in dishes similar to how protein is used. Hemp, chia, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds can also be good protein additions. Pumpkin seeds are a great source of iron
The Zucchini Beanie Delight over some rice would be 😍 Now I want crusty bread. “Hey, it’s Merle on the move..” new video series title! 😂 Also, that panning shot at 18:07 was BEAUTIFULLY done.
for the topics to discuss , what about how clothes nowadays are mostly polyester!! 😬 great vid btw i might make these this week,,, half of the reason is to combat my homesickness/depression 🤣
Can you try making Rogan Josh vegan. also btw you may try chana butter masala. Which is the vegan form of butter chicken (thats what was cooked in the first recipe)
Hi Merle! I love you and you are so goofy! I miss you singing in the vids 😞 anyways you should do a Mexican vegan recipe. I am Mexican and vegetarian but would love to see vegan recipes ! Love your content keep it up!❤
One way I feel like I'm helping is we signed up for Ridwell. They are a plastics recycling company. They turn plastics into useful products like decking and plant pots. I also have bamboo toothbrushes. 2 small things make me feel like I'm helping a bit. ❤❤❤
I'm a 17 year old from India and your recipes and more so your philosophy really help me stay on my path of vegetarianism 🤩. Us Gen Zers really need to stick to a more plant based diet in the face of the climate catastrophe!
Tip 1 - When cashews are too expensive: If sunflower seeds are cheaper, you can actually use those instead. In a lot of cases, it also help reduce CO2 footprint :) Tip 2 - Maybe switch from rice to something else? Rice is really pointless from a nutritional perspective and is pretty bad for the environment. Also has lots of issues regarding heavy metal contamination. Maybe get something that grows locally and is better for you and the environment? We switched to cooking spelt as "rice". As for good news: Phew. Well, at least in my personal "range", I see a lot of change towards plant based and even some veganism here and there. It feels like we are moving forward as a community. Which is nice.
Merle, I was in LA last week for the first time and my husband asked me which celebrity I hope i see, and I was just like "honestly, I hope I see Merle doing a review of someplace. That would be so cool." Unfortunately, I didn't but next time!!
The main protein source vegans / vegetarians are missing are seeds. My favorite are hemp and pumpkin seed protein powder. They aren't isolates, they are cold pressed (raw), and they are packed with minerals that are harder to get on a plant based diet like magnesium, zinc, and iron. The are essentially seed flours. You can add these powders to baked goods, home made pasta / bread, smoothies, oatmeal etc... for a protein / mineral punch.
I use a lot of apple cider vinegar in my cooking and after the bottles are empty I keep them and reuse them as water bottles, I compost regularly, we also have multiple fruit trees growing on our lawn. Also went vegan about 6 years ago and have no intention to stop.
Thank you, Merle for another fun and yummy looking video. :) Yesterday while my dog and I were enjoying an unseasonably warm day in Ohio, we watched a pollen coated Honeybee working hard gathering from the new buds on my shrubs; can't "Bee-t" that for feeling positive toward the climate change b/c the bees are still trying! ;)
I'm not a full vegan, but I love watching these recipes! I swap out a veggie recipe a few times a week... baby steps? I've been super proud of buying eggs from local farmers instead of the grocery store. I know those little chicas are being well taken care of :)
You should try the lemon pepper tofu recipe from Rabbit and Wolves, I make all the time because it’s amazing 😭. All her recipes are amazing, highly recommend to check her out!!
I’m loving watching you!! We call pins Jerry jokes as that is my dad’s name and we have heard the same puns for over 60 years!!! LOL In fact we say they are 2/3 rds of a pun - PU!! Love Beth in Sarasota
On the tofu thing, I watched the original video and it looks like what would be super firm tofu in the US (tofu firmnesses go by different names in different countries). This is the tofu that comes vacuum sealed, and is much higher protein. Furthermore, he appears to use two pretty large blocks of it (standard package size also varies). I used the Sprouts brand for reference, but trader joes and nasoya make similar products. Each block contains 70 grams of protein, so assuming four servings from 2 blocks, thats around 35 grams. Assuming slightly bigger blocks, and the small amount from the rice, this puts the protein at the 40 grams suggested. There seems to be a pretty big difference on what is meant by different tofu firmnesses in different places, and i think this leads to a lot of confusion. When you see a really dense dry block, its usually super firm, even if they call it extra firm. Hope this helps someone!
I'd love people to be more aware of the egg industry. I think that if people got your positive, fresh perspective, they'd understand it better. I love your videos!
I have a video idea: Loma Linda, CA is one of the “Blue Zones” where people live a long time due to diet - the religious group who lives there is vegan. Anyway, the Loma Linda Market has unique store brand vegan items and a hot bar of vegan deli items. You could do a “shop with me” at the Loma Linda Market and a taste test!
The first 100 people to use my promo code MERLE40 will get 40% off their first order of Hungryroot bit.ly/3usrjeN!
I'm Indian and my dad would make this chickpea saag that was SO delicious and actually pretty simple. He sometimes would add a small bit of cream to it, but when I went dairy free I added coconut cream instead. However, I bet you could absolutely use silken tofu and cashews instead to amp up the protein. Just another variation on a high protein chickpea curry.
Indian teaspoon measurement so more like an actual small spoon:
• Two bunches of fresh spinach (about 400 gms)
• 2tsps of chopped garlic
• 3-4 small tomatoes (diced into small pieces)
• 2 15.5 ounce chick peas cans
• Tomato paste 2 tbs (optional)
• 2 tsps methi leaves
• 8-10 green chillies chopped (or as you like)
• ¼ tsp white pepper powder
• 6 red chillies
• 4-5 tsps salt
• 1/2 tsp chili power
• cilantro
• 2 tbs spoons light cream (optional)
Blanch and grind the spinach. Fry the aromatics, then spices, tomatoes and salt, add spinach and chickpeas and cook for like 20 min. Personally I would add more than 2 tbs of cream than the recipe calls because the tomatoes make it pretty acidic, but it's all to taste.
What are methi leaves?
So, I'm dealing with some major depressive issues that I probably shouldn't talk about online, but I just want to say thank you for your content. You crack me up and it helps so much. I am also going to try all of these.
thank you for the love and for letting me know that you feel like this is a safe space. Be gentle with yourself and know that there is so much light and love and happiness awaiting you, just keep taking it day by day. Don't forget to spoil yourself because you really do deserve it. You will come through the other side of this
I don't know you, but I know you deserve happiness. Love, good humour and happy cooking to you!
I hope you enjoy all the recipes 🤍
@@MerleONeal That was a very nice response! 😘
Sending love ❤❤❤ the sun's coming... I feel your comment to my toes.. hugs
I know it's hard to cope with existential dread and feeling out of control, but I wanted to say that 1, your content really helps me feel more hopeful about being able to make small changes in my own life, 2, helps me feel more in control, and 3, keeps me from depressive spirals at times! I go back and rewatch some of your vegan reviews when I'm in a funk and it genuinely helps, even if it's only a little bit some days :) I know that's not much but I hope you can take comfort in the fact!!!
For some positive news, I'm applying to apartments and trying to get into a better situation location-wise for my mental health and a ton of the buildings I'm looking at have community gardens! It's so exciting!!!
Thank you so much for sharing, that does make me feel better and like I'm putting some good out into the world. I'll remember what you said next time the dread creeps in. Excited for you and your move , good for you for prioritizing your mental health!
Merle have you checked out any vegan korean recipes cuz there's ALOT of great food
Merle, I’ve been watching your videos when I can’t fall asleep or am feeling overwhelmed. And I immediately feel a sense of calm and ease. Thank you for your videos. So appreciated 💛
That makes me so happy
Merle posted? Yeah let me ignore the world really quick
🥰
100% love this girl.
Merle I just stopped to think during this video, man I love watching your videos, it’s an instant click. Love your personality and how much of a foodie you are, but i equally love your specific food ratings and you still have high standards for how good a dish can be! Keep em coming!!
Nick you're so kind!! Thank you so very much 💚 I really appreciate it
For me, the "sad"/difficult part of trying these viral recipes (which looks delicious): in the most cases, they're crazy expensive… 🤣 the amount of nutritional yeast (even half recipe) is crazy, where I live it's so expensive. And don't even get my started with cashews (waaaaaaay expensive, sad 🤣 ).
I'll see if I can do a cheap edition!
you can sub (or do half and half) white beans for cashews to decrease costs and look online for bulk nutritional yeast!
@@emilyfeldman8788 not really; where I live nutritional yeast isn't a common ingredient; it became available just a few years ago and it's imported so… very expensive.
@vitorhugolab do you have access to tahini? I love tahini instead of cashew cream.
And chick peas or lentils can be used instead of white beans.
I don't really like nutritional yeast, so... I probably wouldn't add it myself.
Yes the substitutions will make it taste a little different, but you really just want a creamy garlic sauce with a roasted vegetable and it will be good.
@@vitorhugolabi usually don’t recomend amazon but for your case it’s great for bull buying nooch :)
I'm commenting to support you Merle.. you're a beautiful soul!
I'm miserable but i feel good when i watch your videos..
I worry about things that don't even exist for me.. I'm a student and my life's almost breaking apart ...but you're a breath of fresh air..
You always make my brain 🧠 smile.
Just wanted to say, keep up the great work! I know life is hard right now but all your efforts will be so worth it in the end ❤
Thank you so much for the love and support
Merle, I love these high protein series - please never stop.
Also LOVE sophplantkitchen - tried a couple of her recipes in the past!
Saw a comment of yours saying you may try more affordable high protein recipes, which I'm fully down for ❤
she's a genius!!
You can up the protein in your dishes by using black rice. #1 It is D E L I C I O U S! Kind of nutty in flavor. #2 The nutrition is superior. It has 6g of protein per cup compared to white rice which has like 3g per cup. The only downside is it can be pricey and hard to find. I just source mine on Amazon.
great call!!!
I’m Indian and I just want to say one thing, don’t worry too much about “authenticity”. The concept I feel is slightly overrated and you keep mentioning it loads in all your videos like this one. It’s ok, there are a 1000 diff versions of curry across India anyway. Maybe say it once if you feel the need to and it’s totally fine. The curry looked awesome btw!
Hi Merle! I totally get you dude, I recently moved back in with my parents bc of inflation and they're not vegan and it's just been really hard going from living with my vegan partner for 5 years and then coming here. I am very grateful that I am living here, it just was difficult for my mental health.
Anyway, I started volunteering for an organization called Brigada Animal in Mexico and it's helped my dread so much! We can't change the world by ourselves, so we have to think about the little stuff we can control and let go of other stuff if we can. If we get paralyzed, then we're not helping anybody
This is a very good point, thank you so much for sharing, I really want to get into more volunteer work so thank you for the inspiration
Hey Merle, butter beans are in fact LIMA BEANS! You can totally get canned Lima beans and make your life easier! ❤️❤️❤️
So we use dry beans in our house and what we do is we soak them overnight and then pressure cook them the next day for about 20-30 minutes. They get the perfect texture! Hope this helps ❤
I love merle's high protein vids istg
I'm glad! I really love them too, I've been learning SOOO many great new recipes
I love this series. I'm trying to get more protein and fibre in my diet and not rely on meat and dairy so much so this is perfect!
I love this and I love that you actually plated the food! I have such a problem with portion control, so it drives me nuts on tiktok to watch these videos about like "quick healthy vegan meal!" and it's the biggest pan of food you've ever seen in your life and the creator is dipping in and eating right over all of it but then they'll say it's 4 servings. It's like body dysmorphia for food.
I can't wait for the new series. I love long informative video essays, and to know there is one coming from you? I know its going to be well researched.
Hey, my sister runs a project that knits/ crochets climate data to show climate change. They exhibit these pieces to museums and colleges and run workshops at these locations to teach people about climate data. They sell kits so people can make their own. It's called the Tempestry Project. I am very proud of her.
thank you for helping me find more plant based recipes ☺
i have been able to eat a lot cheaper as a result of eating more plant based (not fully vegan yet, but hope to get there someday) and appreciate it as a college student
I'm so glad these vids have been helpful!!!
Love u Merle!!! My good news: I did my first tattoo at my apprenticeship!! :) it was a skull, on myself.
Something that’s helped me with the climate stuff is honestly… logging out. I simply leave those issues to those better equipped mentally. I just don’t believe I have to mentally suffer under the weight of constant knowledge and bad news if I’m truly doing my best to be kind to the planet and other people. And… if the crisis IS as dire as it seems, I wouldn’t want to spend what time we have in panic or depression. I have to find a way to personally live life despite how horrible things seem, and to become joyful no matter what. I think that’s really saved my life… I also try my best to remain moderate/apolitical on most issues (as in- I don’t feel my opinion is needed. That DOES NOT MEAN I won’t stand up for the people in my life that don’t have a voice or are marginalized. It just means I don’t put a political belief behind it, because the message is heard better by everyone when politics are removed and we humanize the situation rather than continuing to talk about it like it’s a public forum debate and as if one person is causing every issue to ever exist just because they’re a dick. Yanno?) life is beautiful whej I focus on MY life. And what I can do for the people right in front of me, and for my backyard and community. This way of life is not for everyone! Some really enjoy and benefit from using their voice and platform for issues. Me personally, I can’t handle it mentally. And nobody can make me handle it, when I know I can’t. Love y’all, stay kind 🩷🩷🩷
Love your content 🩷 I can’t wait to try these recipes. Thank you for sharing and also being so funny 😂
Just found out about your channel today! You’re so funny! Great recipes too! Thank you!
It’s been an intense couple weeks (a loved one is passing over ❤️🌈❤️) and watching your video is the first time I laughed in a couple weeks. Your puns are so funny!
You are such a joy! You’re awesome! Thank you for your videos!
Thank you so much for your kind words and I am sending you and your loved ones a big hug. I'm honored to be able to offer you a little bit of peace during this time.
They all look delish! 🤤
A little "hack" that I've been doing for a while is keeping a bag in the freezer where I add all my veggie scraps. When you have enough you can make a nice veggie soup or broth. Just an idea for people that don't have a composting bin 😊
I really enjoyed this one!! the Butter Chickpea Curry looks very yummy and im looking forward to trying it!
I think you're gonna LOVE it
A change I've made is buying and using reusable metal pod things for my Keurig.
Can’t believe you’ve been to India, Merle! I studied there for 5 years - the food was my favourite part of those years 😂😂😂
the food is next LEVEL
i loooove these series so much, can't wait to see more!! 💖
thank you!!!
DAMN THOSE CURSED DRY BEANS!!!!!!!
I feel that existential dread too. Excited for your new series.
When you eat your zucchini, courgette, baby marrows, etc you're gonna have a gourd time!
THE BEANSSSSSSSS
@@MerleONeal Rancho Gordo claims to have the freshest beans if you want to give them one last try. I'll understand if you don't!😆
Good news. 🎉
I started a new job as assistant Manger and was promoted to Manager in one week of work after 4 years of being a stay at home mom. ❤
Heck YESSSSSS congratulations!!!
I love these videos where you test other people's recipes and give your take on them. I would love to see you test some Thai vegan recipes this way. Thanks for all you do!
I LOVEEE Thai food, so that's a brilliant idea
hi merle I love your videos so much! 💛about the beans.. apparently if dried beans are more than 2 yrs old they dont get soft anymore because they start to produce lignin, which is the same stuff thats in wood.
Good to know! they must have sold me some ancient BEANS maybe i should plant them and see if i get a stalk
Just started my summer garden and recently got into mushroom growing. Highly suggest north spore sells little kits for oyster mushrooms and lions mane.
Love the shirt too ❤
are they easy to grow in an apartment? and thanks! re: the shirt
@MerleONeal yes they sell mushroom in a box kits that don't need a lot of room. Additionally, Back to the Roots has a similar product and sells at lowes or Amazon.
Ok, let me change your life: My go-to weekly ritual is to take all my veggie scraps from the week and make them into a broth! You CAN do this AND still compost it! Basically, I keep a plastic bag in my freezer and once it's full of veggie scraps, I add herbs, cover in water, and boil/simmer them until reduced by a significant amount (prob like a third?) strain out the veg (puuush all that good juice out!) then return the liquid to the pan, add salt, and boil/reduce a little more. Throw veg bits into compost. BOOM! The best broth ever and it's practically free. I use it all week for recipes and whatnot!
Red Earth Vegans sent me to your channel for high protein diets!
I am impressed! I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL. And you are funny!!
Yay! Love watching your videos! Question-is there a nut that you think would work in place of cashews in these type of recipes? Although I love cashews, I am allergic...
pistachios, walnuts, almonds could be good swaps!
Im loving these high protein recipes lately! Not that vegans have to focus on protein, but it does help when im trying to hit a protein goal
Why don't vegans have to focus on protein ?
the guy who made the last recipe with the tofu must've just used a "super firm" block, hence the protein content claimed.
Ya Trader Joe’s high protein extra firm is like 70 grams of protein for the little block
@@hopewelch3307 Really? Wow!
Definitely going to try all 3 of these, I think I'll have to add more to the zucchini dish though to make it a full meal, maybe a potato topping? Trying to think of happy climate things... I work for a company that is planning/ trying to get to carbon net zero, which is great 😀
Haha okay first of all, I’m glad I’m not the only one who uses my tofu water rag to wipe up afterwards. Second, I made this butter bean recipe and added miso to the cashew cream mixture and it really helped deepen the flavor profile! So good with crunchy sour dough!
Hey Merle!
Sprouts sells a super super firm high protein tofu that has 14 grams of protein per serving, it’s 5 or 6 servings I think!
They are always sold out and I am one of the people that buys all of that specific tofu. It’s become a serious staple in my home because my boyfriend and I are vegan/vegetarian!
If you haven’t tried it, please do! It will help so much with protein intake!
I love you and love when you post videos! Thanks so much for all your time and energy! :)
Thank you so much for the pro tip!! I love Sprouts so i'm definitely going to check that out next time I'm there, promise I won't buy them all hahah
Have you since tried the lemon tofu recipe with the super firm tofu? I noticed it’s more dense than extra firm, so would it take in the sauce as well?
Merle and her magical plant based cooking videos make my day 🤗🤩
The zuchinni bean dish looks perfect as a pasta sauce! can't wait to try it. thanks for great content. thanks for making plant based diets accessible.
160C I don’t think 230F unless I heard one of those 2 numbers wrong. Love these recipes, great video
it's 320f. Think M just transposed. Great recipe.
It’s too low unless she is using a convection oven. I tried this recipe a while ago and it was terrible bc I don’t have a convection oven. Mushy, watery zucchini 🤮
Lima beans aka Butter Beans are evile.
Cannellini or Great Northern so much beeeeetah!
you can also use damp paper towels to put under your cutting board so the board doesn't slide around! very nice looking recipes, you definitely made me wanna try the first one!
Merle I'm gonna need to come to yours for dinner sometime because everything you make looks amazing (even when you say it's not that amazing).
Yes Breeeee, I always have extras!
Hey Merle! I wonder if in one of your deep dive episodes, you can talk a bit more about farming in California specifically. I’m jealous a bit about the year round produce you guys get, but I imagine that comes at a price? Migrant workers picking, climate change (drought) vs. the water needs for growing said crops. Perhaps many other nuances I’m not mentioning. Maybe it’s something!
Everything looked delicious 😋
that tofu was bomb! i also made the zucchini dish, changed it up a bit by making it in a pan and used it as a sauce for some lentil pasta. was also very good 🥰
I got a composting bin and it's going well :D Also my husband and I bought a full electric car this year and my city is next to a waterfall so a huge portion of our electricity is supplemented by hydro power! Yay!
AMAZING
Im loving these high protein videos!
I'm so glad!
Whether or not you make an episode your response and the comments on my comment have given me some inspiration for my very limited diet ❤ iv been a fan for countless yrs... I love seeing you do your own thing... I feel so special so I can't thank you enough for the response and it means so much ❤
You rock, Sara! Thanks for the love and support :)
Boil the beans in a pressure cooker that's how i make them and it usually works. Sometimes the beans are old and it doesn't work.
This is the perfect video for me. I desperately lack protein and I am excited for these recipes. 💚
I'm so glad you like em!
I am all in on this high protein series !! 💖💖💖💖💖
Glad you like it! I've got more comin :)
I love the high-protein recipe videos!! especially the ""trying viral TikTok, Instagram, high protein" etc. type vids! Maybe like a "high protein snacks, desserts, lunches" type video, "trying vegan recipes under 10 minutes", or "trying vegan recipes under x amount of dollars"!! Also, I love the informative climate change video idea as a vegan myself. Great vid!! :D
I choose a few things to worry about in the world, bc otherwise it's gets too depressing. So maybe try doing that, one of the Green brothers gave me that great tip.
Love your stuff Merle ❤
Hey Merle! Maybe you have already, but did you try brining the beans? According to Cook's Illustrated, they say that brining dried beans in salted water overnight can help with splitting and crumbling.
I use silicone resealable sandwich bags to reduce plastic waste, really focus on eating down my left overs to reduce food waste, and I use as little water as possible when washing dishes to reduce over usage of water (and even go turn down the water when my husband is washing dishes because he lets it GUSH out lol) I also get and cook meatless options whenever I can!
my grandpa always had a basin to fil with soapy water for washing dishes by hand. felt like a good way to save some water
I worked as a chef in a vegetarian restaurant for years. It’s not you it’s butterbeans. Every other bean cooks fine every time. Butterbeans fall apart about half of the time even doing nothing wrong, so very very often the menu would change from having a butterbean salad on it to having an x-vegetable and butterbean soup on the menu. And a butterbean pâté…. 😅
Have been eating plant-based for years now and don't have a fancy, expensive blender.There's only two of us, so I make so much of our stuff in the Nutribullet that I have had for years - rarely need to haul out my old, cheap blender. The bullet is inexpensive, has different size containers, is lightweight, easy to clean and makes really smooth sauces in just a couple minutes - what's not to love?
Curry doesn't have a specific taste. It's just a mixture of spices in a gravy/sauce and the spices can change. It's a word the Brits made up but it looks good just the same (I say this as if I'm not a Brit myself and just found this out about curry lol). I'll definitely try out these recipes.
Edit: I like to use veggie scraps to make broth. I have a big bag I keep in the freezer that I refill. Zucchini doesn't have much flavour but you could use the scraps anyway. I also recently learned frozen zucchini is good in smoothies. It makes it healthier but you can't taste it at all. It's like adding ice to the smoothie.
I really like your videos :) I am also a great fan of sophie and i also like her recipes. I really liked it that you encluded them in this video :)
I have a tipp for you concerning cooking with dried beans: i used to simply cook them on the stove after soaking them over night in cold water. But they never came out great. So i buyed an instant pot and prepared the beans by pressure cooking them for only 9 minutes and they came out great. In my opinion it is pretty impossible to cook beans on the stove. There are also pressure cooker that you can put on the stove that aren't as expensive as an instant pot.
Also, when you cook beans on the stove don't add any salt. If you add salt the outside of the beans will loose water and become more hard.
p.s. i hope everything is understandable. I'm not a native speaker.
Based on how the tofu looked in the last guy's video it looked like he used Superfirm tofu (either the Wildwood or Trader Joe's brand)n which give 15 g per serving or about 37 g for half the container. Regular firm tofu will not give enough protein.
Add a teaspoon or so of baking soda to the water when boiling beans. They cook and soften faster at an alkaline pH.
I just had a health scare so I need to cut out red meat, I already can't eat beans because of gi problems and I'm prone to anemia and I'm also allergic to soy. Could you do a video of vegan recipes with no beans or tofu and have iron? I know it's a lot, I haven't come up with much but also don't know where to start. Would be very much appreciated! Love your videos ❤ oh I'm also sensitive to yeast.... I feel like I have very few options
that does make it tough!! Those are some of the largest sources of plant-based protein but what about nuts? cashews, almonds, etc.. or like edamame?
I haven't tried edimame and if I eat too many nuts like cashews it runs right through me.... I don't like peanuts unfortunately but other nuts seem to be fine
Cruciferous greens and spinach have lots of iron and whole grains are also good protein sources.
@@sarastevens2973please do not eat edamame if you have a soy allergy. Edamame is just young soy beans.
Peas can be high protein additions, and cost effective if you buy frozen peas or cook dried peas yourself. It can be used in placement of a lot of soy, and beans and chickpeas in recipes, but it can change the flavor of a dish.
If you can handle gluten, seitan/wheat gluten can be a good addition of protein and used as a “meat” replacement in dishes similar to how protein is used.
Hemp, chia, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds can also be good protein additions. Pumpkin seeds are a great source of iron
@@LaLayla99 that's unfortunately another thing, I love spinach but it makes me so gassy I need gasx
The Zucchini Beanie Delight over some rice would be 😍 Now I want crusty bread. “Hey, it’s Merle on the move..” new video series title! 😂 Also, that panning shot at 18:07 was BEAUTIFULLY done.
for the topics to discuss , what about how clothes nowadays are mostly polyester!! 😬
great vid btw i might make these this week,,, half of the reason is to combat my homesickness/depression 🤣
The zucchini bean dish would probably be great over pasta. Bonus for something like a pea pasta for the extra protein boost!
Can you try making Rogan Josh vegan.
also btw you may try chana butter masala. Which is the vegan form of butter chicken (thats what was cooked in the first recipe)
Am sorry how good does that food look…I used to think vegan food was weird and bland…thank you Merle for widening perceptions
Hi Merle! I love you and you are so goofy! I miss you singing in the vids 😞 anyways you should do a Mexican vegan recipe. I am Mexican and vegetarian but would love to see vegan recipes ! Love your content keep it up!❤
One way I feel like I'm helping is we signed up for Ridwell. They are a plastics recycling company. They turn plastics into useful products like decking and plant pots. I also have bamboo toothbrushes. 2 small things make me feel like I'm helping a bit. ❤❤❤
I love Ridwell!!!
I'm a 17 year old from India and your recipes and more so your philosophy really help me stay on my path of vegetarianism 🤩. Us Gen Zers really need to stick to a more plant based diet in the face of the climate catastrophe!
Sadly, you are totally brainwashed 😊
Can you get frozen butter beans( also called lima beans)?
Hi Merle! My good news is that im almost done with finals! Its been a long, difficult quarter and i only have 5 days left!!
YESSS you got this! prouda you!!
Tip 1 - When cashews are too expensive: If sunflower seeds are cheaper, you can actually use those instead. In a lot of cases, it also help reduce CO2 footprint :)
Tip 2 - Maybe switch from rice to something else? Rice is really pointless from a nutritional perspective and is pretty bad for the environment. Also has lots of issues regarding heavy metal contamination. Maybe get something that grows locally and is better for you and the environment? We switched to cooking spelt as "rice".
As for good news: Phew. Well, at least in my personal "range", I see a lot of change towards plant based and even some veganism here and there. It feels like we are moving forward as a community. Which is nice.
Cannot relate more to the beans not being cooked mood 😂😂😂😂😂
Merle, I was in LA last week for the first time and my husband asked me which celebrity I hope i see, and I was just like "honestly, I hope I see Merle doing a review of someplace. That would be so cool." Unfortunately, I didn't but next time!!
that is SO sweet, if you ever see me in the wild make sure to stop me to say hi!
How I adore my girl Merle!!! 🥰🤗
What non stick pan do you use?? LOVE your content bestie
The main protein source vegans / vegetarians are missing are seeds. My favorite are hemp and pumpkin seed protein powder. They aren't isolates, they are cold pressed (raw), and they are packed with minerals that are harder to get on a plant based diet like magnesium, zinc, and iron. The are essentially seed flours.
You can add these powders to baked goods, home made pasta / bread, smoothies, oatmeal etc... for a protein / mineral punch.
My efforts to help the environment a little is to be plastic free, sadly it also means meal delivery services are not an option :(
I use a lot of apple cider vinegar in my cooking and after the bottles are empty I keep them and reuse them as water bottles, I compost regularly, we also have multiple fruit trees growing on our lawn. Also went vegan about 6 years ago and have no intention to stop.
Thank you, Merle for another fun and yummy looking video. :) Yesterday while my dog and I were enjoying an unseasonably warm day in Ohio, we watched a pollen coated Honeybee working hard gathering from the new buds on my shrubs; can't "Bee-t" that for feeling positive toward the climate change b/c the bees are still trying! ;)
I'm not a full vegan, but I love watching these recipes! I swap out a veggie recipe a few times a week... baby steps? I've been super proud of buying eggs from local farmers instead of the grocery store. I know those little chicas are being well taken care of :)
Small steps make a big difference! Glad you're exploring the plant-based space!!
Macro bangs are in! Yay!
Merle, I love your videos from the bottom of my heart
the super extra firm is more like 72g of protein a packet, so maybe half of one of those for the third recipe?
You should try the lemon pepper tofu recipe from Rabbit and Wolves, I make all the time because it’s amazing 😭. All her recipes are amazing, highly recommend to check her out!!
I’m loving watching you!!
We call pins Jerry jokes as that is my dad’s name and we have heard the same puns for over 60 years!!! LOL
In fact we say they are 2/3 rds of a pun - PU!!
Love
Beth in Sarasota
On the tofu thing, I watched the original video and it looks like what would be super firm tofu in the US (tofu firmnesses go by different names in different countries). This is the tofu that comes vacuum sealed, and is much higher protein. Furthermore, he appears to use two pretty large blocks of it (standard package size also varies). I used the Sprouts brand for reference, but trader joes and nasoya make similar products. Each block contains 70 grams of protein, so assuming four servings from 2 blocks, thats around 35 grams. Assuming slightly bigger blocks, and the small amount from the rice, this puts the protein at the 40 grams suggested.
There seems to be a pretty big difference on what is meant by different tofu firmnesses in different places, and i think this leads to a lot of confusion. When you see a really dense dry block, its usually super firm, even if they call it extra firm. Hope this helps someone!
Just found your channel omg❤❤❤
welcome!! :)
I'd love people to be more aware of the egg industry. I think that if people got your positive, fresh perspective, they'd understand it better. I love your videos!
maybe the beans will work out if you pressure cook them. idk if it’s a thing in the US but that’s how we do where I live!
I have a video idea: Loma Linda, CA is one of the “Blue Zones” where people live a long time due to diet - the religious group who lives there is vegan. Anyway, the Loma Linda Market has unique store brand vegan items and a hot bar of vegan deli items. You could do a “shop with me” at the Loma Linda Market and a taste test!
Woahhhh this is actually a really cool idea