Just a few years ago, vegans were a fringe group. But recently more and more people have become interested in this form of nutrition.
This is reflected in the fact that many plant-based products can now be found in stores. There are vegan substitutes for milk, eggs and other animal foods such as buttermilk . This often tastes really good even to non-vegans.
If you want to eat vegan quark , you can easily make it yourself! You just need to choose a basic ingredient – almonds, cashews or soy.
You can get started! With just a few ingredients you can create your new favorite quark . And all without animals having to suffer.
By the way, plant-based quark can be used for baking and cooking just like its animal counterpart.
Whether it's a dip as a side dish, a quark pesto with the pasta or a cream as a dessert - vegan quark is versatile and can be mixed both sweet and savory. Together with fresh herbs and fruit, it becomes a real highlight at every party.
In this article we will explain to you the main reasons for a vegan diet. We will also tell you one of our favorite recipes for quark substitutes , e.g. You can copy this and further refine it according to your preferences.
Let's make this world better together and reduce animal suffering through a sustainable lifestyle!
What is veganism?
Vegans do not eat foods that come from animals. This way of life is about more than just abstaining from meat and fish.
For vegans, only plant-based foods are on the menu. In addition, when it comes to consumer products such as clothing, they ensure that no animal fur or leather is used.
If you eat a vegan diet, you avoid eating these foods:
- Eggs : Eggs are produced by birds. Taking away their offspring is not justifiable with a vegan lifestyle. The same goes for caviar, of course. With plant-based protein you can help ensure that your body still receives important nutrients.
- Milk : Cows and other animals produce milk to suckle their children. Here too, vegans do not interfere with the natural course of life. However, there are now numerous milk substitute products available. Oat milk is very popular because it tastes most similar to cow's milk. Vegan milk is also made from rice, almonds and soy.
- Dairy products : Yoghurt, cream, quark and other things that contain animal milk are also not vegan. But here too, you don't have to miss out on anything thanks to vegan cream and yoghurt alternatives.
- Honey : Honey and products made from it, such as candles made from beeswax, are also taboo when following a vegan lifestyle. Because bees produce honey to survive in the winter. There are now also honey alternatives .
- Additives : There are hidden animal additives in many processed foods. Examples of this are lactose, whey or gelatin. If you cannot find the vegan seal on a product, you should read the ingredients on the packaging carefully.
- Meat, sausage and fish : Foods for which animals have to die are taboo for vegans and vegetarians alike.
A vegan lifestyle may initially sound like a lot of sacrifice. But there are many good reasons to avoid animal products .
Reasons for a vegan diet
Being vegan means living mindfully. Animal additives in food are not always immediately recognizable. You can now find a cheese alternative labeled as vegan in almost every supermarket.
However, it becomes more difficult if you want to replace sour cream , for example.
Even with fruit that is supposedly vegan, things are not that simple. Bananas, for example, are often sprayed with the pesticide chitosan. In order to produce this, shrimps have to give up their lives.
Since you as a consumer cannot recognize this, we recommend that you always rely on organic fruit . The use of such means is prohibited there.
Different people have different reasons for adopting a vegan lifestyle.
The most common are animal welfare and a healthy and conscious diet:
- Healthy diet : There are many prejudices against a vegan diet. For example, deficiency symptoms are often mentioned. This usually affects people who do not take a new diet carefully enough. If you are looking for a vegan alternative to quark, you should pay attention to the nutritional information and find out about the ingredients. Make sure that you eat a balanced diet and get all the vital nutrients.
- Avoiding animal suffering : Most people have heard of factory farming. Pigs, cows and other animals waste away in cramped stables without daylight. The conditions are better in free-range or organic farming, but the living conditions are still not comparable to a life in freedom.
Anyone who eats a vegetarian diet and avoids meat is not responsible for killing the animals, but the creatures still suffer from the same poor housing conditions.
It should also not be forgotten that the milk from the cows is actually intended for the calves. However, these are taken away from them shortly after birth. For eggs without culling, it is common practice for the male chicks to be exported and raised under adverse conditions.
Vegan quark: How can you replace it vegan?
Finding an industrially produced vegan quark alternative when shopping is not difficult. However, you don't necessarily have to replace animal quark with plant-based quark . You can also use a yogurt substitute.
At Greenforce we offer a large selection of organic vegan yoghurt . It is made from oats, provides you with proteins and is also low in fat and gluten-free. Furthermore, when producing all of our products, it is important to us to avoid unnecessary bells and whistles.
You can also make vegetable quark yourself quite easily. This way you can also make sure that it does not contain any unnecessary additives.
In addition, you can use regional products so that the environment is not unnecessarily burdened by additional transport routes.
The following foods are suitable as a basis for making your quark substitute:
- Soybeans : Soy is the basis for many vegan products. It is easy to process, contains vitamins B1, B6 and E and various minerals. Also found in soybeans are iron, selenium and zinc.
- Almonds : Almonds are versatile and a good source of nutrients. They contain calcium and magnesium, zinc as well as vitamins B and E. They also contain fiber and proteins.
- Cashew nuts : Cashew nuts not only taste good as a small snack, but can also be used for further processing. They are considered an important source of protein, contain important fiber and are considered a source of energy.
You can enjoy your home-made quark straight away and refine it with fresh herbs such as parsley or fruits of your choice. You can also make a vegan quark cake or a vegan cheese cake.
In addition, the vegan alternative to quark is suitable as a base for various vegan desserts. To do this, you can, for example, alternately layer raspberries and the curd substitute on top of each other. It tastes just as delicious with caramel cream and oatmeal cookies.
Make your own vegan quark: a simple recipe
If you make vegan quark yourself, you can decide for yourself whether you want it to be sweet or savory and what you use as a base. It's worth trying out different recipes.
If you are already tried and tested in the kitchen, you can experiment yourself and create your personal favorite recipe.
This has the advantage that you can tailor the quark to your individual needs , because you suffer from fat intolerance.
To make your own quark using cashews, you can do the following:
- To do this, soak 150 grams of cashews in water for at least six hours until they are soft. Then mix 150 ml of water with the same amount of sauerkraut juice and puree it together with the drained cashews for a few minutes. The result should be a light, creamy mass. Now season with a little salt and leave to rise in a warm place overnight. Then put it in the fridge for three hours - and then enjoy.
This recipe is ideal if you need the quark for a dip or sauces, for example . It also tastes great with muesli or potatoes.
If you want to use it for baking, the sweet version is better:
- To do this, replace the sauerkraut juice with 300 ml of coconut milk. Mix this with a teaspoon of agar-agar and let the liquid boil briefly. After cooling, add the pureed cashews. Then proceed in the same way as with the savory version.
To ensure that the quark substitute lasts for a long time , you should pour it into a preserving jar or other sealable container. If stored in a cool place, it will last for one to two weeks.
If you are not sure whether your vegan quark is still good, do a smell test first. If it smells normal and doesn't look conspicuous, it'll cost you a fingertip. By the way, you can also use this trick for all other foods! This prevents unnecessary throwing away.