The Ultimate Vegan Cheat Code 🧀 + a 15-min Pasta
(Plus, an honest review of Cathedral City’s plant-based cheese...)
Welcome to the very first issue of Plant Biased! 🌱
If you are reading this, you are officially an early adopter. Thank you for being here. My goal with this newsletter is simple: to prove that eating more plants doesn't require a trust fund, a culinary degree, or pretending that a lettuce leaf is a taco shell.
Let’s get straight to the good stuff.
⏱️ The 15-Minute Recipe: Creamy Houmous & Harissa Pasta
When you get home from work at 6:30 PM and want delivery, make this instead. It sounds weird, but trust me, houmous melts into the most incredible, rich pasta sauce.
Creamy Houmous and Harissa Pasta
What you need:
Pasta of your choice (I use rigatoni)
3 massive spoonfuls of classic houmous
1 tbsp of harissa paste (adjust if you don't like spice!)
A handful of spinach
A splash of pasta water
How to make it:
Boil your pasta in heavily salted water.
Right before draining, scoop out half a mug of the starchy pasta water.
Put the drained pasta back in the hot pan (off the heat). Stir in the houmous, harissa, and a splash of that pasta water. Mix vigorously until it turns into a glossy sauce.
Toss in the spinach until it wilts. Eat immediately.
🛒 The UK Supermarket Find: Cathedral City Plant-Based
Every week, I test a UK supermarket product so you don't have to waste your money.
The Product: Cathedral City Plant-Based Block (£3.60 at Tesco/Sainsbury's) The Verdict: 8.5/10
Let’s be honest: 90% of vegan cheese tastes like coconut oil and sadness. But Cathedral City actually cracked the code here. It melts brilliantly on toast, has that sharp cheddar tang, and doesn't stick to the roof of your mouth.
Best for: Cheese toasties, grating over pasta, or eating straight out of the fridge at 11 PM.
Skip it if: You are looking for a soft, artisan-style cheese board addition. This is pure, beautiful, everyday cheddar.
💡 The Pantry Hack: "Nooch" is your new best friend
If you are new to plant-based eating, you need to buy a tub of Nutritional Yeast (affectionately called "Nooch"). You can find it in the health food aisle of almost any large Sainsbury's, Tesco, or Asda, usually from a brand called Marigold or Engevita.
What is it? Yellow flakes that look like fish food but taste remarkably like parmesan cheese. How to use it: Sprinkle it over pasta, popcorn, roasted broccoli, or stir it into soups. It adds an instant, savory "cheesy" depth to literally anything, and it's packed with B12.
That’s it for Issue #1!
If you tried that pasta recipe or have a grocery item you want me to review next week, hit reply and let me know. I read every single one.
Peas and love.
Gary.
Plant Biased.