Peter Plant Power – en

Author: peterplantpower

  • Oatmeal with chia

    A super-healthy, no-fuss oatmeal breakfast

    Now here’s a truly healthy and wholesome breakfast, even for lazy people. The great thing about it is that all the ingredients are raw. You don’t need to heat anything up or cook anything. Just mix a few things together the night before, then chop up some fruit in the morning. That’s all.

    The result is nutritious, tasty and refreshing, perfect for the warmer months. Oatmeal can, of course, also be prepared warm during the colder months.

    What you’ll need for 1 portion:

    • approx. 50 g rolled oats
    • one and a half tablespoons of chia seeds
    • one tablespoon of ground flaxseed
    • approx. 250 ml plant-based milk
    • one tablespoon of agave or maple syrup
    • a pinch of iodised sea salt or herb salt
    • one teaspoon of cinnamon
    • fruit of your choice

    Ready in a jiffy:

    1. Pour the rolled oats and chia seeds into a bowl, or better still into a glass jar with a lid.
    2. Pour the plant-based milk over the top and mix well. The rolled oats will swell, so make sure they’re fully submerged in the liquid.
    3. Seal the jar or cover the bowl, place it in the fridge and leave it to soak overnight.
    4. Give it a quick stir in the morning and add a little extra milk if it’s too dry.
    5. Chop the fruit into pieces and mix it in. You can sprinkle some nuts on top, preferably soaked ones.

    All done.

    This breakfast contains no added sugar, has a velvety-smooth texture and a fairly neutral flavour, which really lets the fruit shine through.

    It’s guaranteed to leave you feeling full for hours.

    Enjoy!

    Even more plant-based protein

    Do you do strength training or intensive exercise? If so, you can increase the protein content. Here’s how:

    • 3 tablespoons of chia instead of one and a half
    • be sure to choose soya milk, as it’s rich in protein
    • stir in a scoop of plant-based protein powder
    • top with a generous scoop of soya yoghurt

    Which plant-based milk should I choose?

    You can choose any plant-based drink, such as soya milk, oat milk or a nut-based milk.

    Nut milk is easiest to make yourself, in the quantities that suit you.
    Of all the plant-based milk alternatives, soya milk contains the highest proportion of plant-based protein.

    Are rolled oats raw?

    Are rolled oats actually ‘raw’ in the strict sense of the word? Not really. Rolled oats are oat grains that have been flattened between rollers by machine, and this process inevitably involves some degree of heating. Hence, incidentally, the English term ‘rolled oats’. Nevertheless, this flattening process is much gentler than, for example, boiling. Grains are generally best consumed either sprouted or cooked. In this recipe, flattening and then soaking the rolled oats ensures they are easily digestible.

    What is chia and does it have any benefits?

    Chia refers to the small, white and black seeds of the plant with the Latin name Salvia hispanica. When soaked in water, they swell because they form a jelly-like coating on the outside. As a result, they are also used as an egg substitute in plant-based recipes. They are hugely popular as a “superfood”.

    But what exactly makes them so ‘super’? Well, they contain a relatively high amount of good-quality plant-based protein and are fairly easy to digest. They are also rich in fibre, omega-3 fatty acids and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and the trace element copper. They also contain vitamins, such as B1, B3 and a notably high amount of vitamin E.

    What is omega-3?

    This basic recipe for an oatmeal breakfast with chia contains no less than 4.4 g of omega-3 in the form of ALA.

    Omega-3 is a specific type of fatty acid. It is essential for good health. There are three forms of omega-3: ALA, DHA and EPA.

    The chia seeds and ground flaxseeds used in this recipe are excellent sources of omega-3.

    Nutritional values for chia seeds

    Chia seeds, unprocessed, per 100 g:

    EnergyCarboh.SugarFatSat. FatProteinFibreSalt
    486 kcal42,1 g0,9 g30,7 g3,8 g16,5 g34,4 g0 g

    Nutritional values for porridge with chia

    The nutritional values for 100 g of the recipe above, prepared with soya milk and agave syrup as a sweetener.

    Please note: the fruit you may add after the chilling time in the fridge has not been taken into account.

    The values are approximate:

    EnergyCarboh.SugarFatSat. FatProteinFibreSalt
    123 kcal16 g1,8 g4,5 g0,6 g5,8 g4,2 g0,05 g

    To have breakfast or not to have breakfast?

    By ‘breakfast’, I actually mean your first meal of the day. It’s open to debate whether breakfast should be eaten earlier or later in the day.

    A lot depends on your daily activities and schedule. I used to tend to tuck in quite quickly in the morning, but now it sometimes happens that I don’t eat my first meal until 10 o’clock, 11 o’clock or even later. After all, it is important to allow your digestive system sufficient rest periods, at least 8, or even 16 hours a day. This gives your body time to assimilate the food after digestion and eliminate waste products.

    Avoid constant eating

    Many problems with overeating and being overweight stem from the fact that we constantly stuff ourselves from morning till night. Advertising and marketing constantly try to tempt us into doing so. However, satisfying hunger is something completely different from being addicted to the feeling of a full stomach.

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  • Fig and ginger biscuits

    Biscuits, preferably without eggs or milk

    You really don’t need eggs or dairy products for a healthy sweet treat!

    Supermarket shelves are full of unhealthy, highly processed biscuits packed with dubious ingredients. And 99 per cent of biscuits contain dairy derivatives and/or eggs.

    With these homemade, super-healthy vegan fig and ginger biscuits, we’re taking the chickens and cows out of the production chain whilst looking after ourselves, our health and our environment.

    Because quite apart from the systematic cruelty suffered by farm animals, food of animal origin also has an ecological footprint that is many times higher than plant-based food.

    The ingredients for these biscuits (approx. 15 pieces):

    Liquid:

    • 2 tablespoons almond butter
    • 100 ml soya milk
    • 2 tablespoons agave syrup, maple syrup or rice syrup

    Dry:

    • a generous piece of fresh ginger (10–15 g)
    • 70 g dried figs
    • approx. 30 g almonds
    • 100 g rolled oats
    • 50 g wholemeal flour (wheat, rye or spelt)
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder

    Here’s how to make them step by step:

    1. Peel the ginger and chop it finely. Chop the figs into small pieces too.
    2. Coarsely chop the almonds.
    3. Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl and add the baking powder.
    4. Mix the dry ingredients together.
    5. Put the liquid ingredients into a sealable jug and shake or blend them well.
    6. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients.
    7. Mix everything together with a fork to form a firm dough.
    8. Shape into about fifteen biscuits and place them on a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray.
    9. Bake for 10 minutes at 200°C, then reduce the temperature to 160°C and bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes. They’ll come out of the oven a light golden brown.
    10. Enjoy!

    These biscuits are very nutritious and healthy, but they do contain quite a few calories!

    So enjoy them in moderation if you’re trying to lose weight.

    Fig and ginger biscuits, per 100 g of product:

    The values are approximate.

    Energy
    Carboh.    		SugarsFatSat. fatProteinFibreSalt
    227 kcal9,8 g1,1 g15,5 g11,2 g13,7 g3,0 g0,13 g
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  • High-protein tofu salad

    This salad is a lovely and much healthier alternative to traditional egg salad. Why that is so you will be able to read below the recipe.

    Delicious on wholemeal bread, wholemeal toast or multigrain crackers.

    A mild and protein-rich sandwich filling

    Ingredients:

    • 200 to 250 g firm tofu
    • 250 to 350 g silken tofu
    • a bunch of spring onions or a small yellow or red onion
    • 5 to 6 pickled gherkins, from a jar
    • 2 up to 3 stalks of green or white celery
    • a teaspoon of turmeric
    • onion powder or onion flakes, one teaspoon
    • a teaspoon of garlic powder
    • half to a full teaspoon of kala namak salt or herb salt
    • a generous amount of black pepper to taste
    • a teaspoon of mustard
    • one to two teaspoons of cider vinegar
    • fresh green herbs such as dill or parsley, if desired

    Here is how you fix this:

    This salad is really quick to make.

    1. Finely chop the spring onion, celery, gherkins and fresh herbs.
    2. Break up or mash the firm tofu with a fork, then mix it with the silken tofu.
    3. Add all the spices, salt and pepper to the tofu and mix well.
    4. Add the chopped vegetables and fresh herbs and mix well.
    5. Transfer to one or more sealable glass containers.

    And that’s it!

    Tip: You can also simply use iodised sea salt, herb salt or Himalayan salt instead of kala namak. Kala namak is a mineral salt from Asia that has a sulphurous aroma strongly reminiscent of the taste of boiled eggs. This light, protein-rich and healthy salad will keep for up to a week in the fridge in a sealed container. It tastes exceptionally delicious and refreshing during the warmer months.

    The typical lunch in many companies

    In Belgium, many people who are at work during the day eat a lunch of filled rolls.

    Even when companies organise lunch meetings, rolls or sandwiches are often provided. These rolls or sandwiches are traditionally filled with one of the following:

    • ham
    • cheese
    • ham and cheese
    • américain (strongly spiced raw beef)
    • mayonnaise-based salads, such as: fish salad, tuna salad, egg salad, meat salad, chicken salad and so on

    What exactly is wrong with these salads?

    The mayonnaise-based salads available in shops and in the catering sector leave a great deal to be desired in terms of quality and health. To cut costs, it is mainly salted and seasoned mayonnaise that is served, whilst the other ingredients of animal origin are kept to a minimum. So you often find yourself faced with a sea of mayonnaise with the odd piece of meat, fish or egg floating here and there. Mayonnaise is made from eggs and vegetable oil. As a result, it is very high in calories and cholesterol, whilst being low in nutrients with real nutritional value.

    Why eat fewer eggs?

    When I myself made the transition from omnivore to a fully plant-based diet, eggs were pretty much the last thing I cut out of my diet. I did enjoy omelettes and fried eggs, but I was far less keen on (hard) boiled eggs. Eggs seemed completely harmless to me, because you don’t have to kill an animal for them. Until I started to look into the matter in more depth, including taking a peek behind the scenes of the egg industry.

    We take it for granted that a hen will lay about one egg a day in 2026. Yet hens have been selectively bred for this purpose for a century. Because around 1915, a hen laid an average of only about 25 eggs … per year! And that’s understandable. No female animal reproduces non-stop throughout her entire life. It simply follows the seasons, with long periods during which the organism rests.

    An exhausting feat of strength

    It’s just that we humans have, as it were, ‘converted’ the laying hen and bred it into an egg-laying machine. If you consider the nutritional value and the raw materials that make up a chicken’s egg, it is an enormous, exhausting feat of strength for such a frail bird to produce one every day. Just think of the large amount of proteins, fats and minerals (such as the calcium in the eggshell) that make up an egg.

    If only we, as humans, could at least show – let alone feel – a modicum of gratitude for the gift of such an egg … But no. The average laying hen – or rather, ‘egg-laying machine’ – spends her miserable existence in the hell of an intensive poultry farm (a battery cage).

    Ethically and ecologically irresponsible

    There she sits, crammed together with her fellow sufferers in a tiny space, amidst the stench of droppings and the noise, whilst the artificial light never goes out. She has no freedom or space whatsoever to display normal chicken behaviour, such as spreading her wings or taking dust baths in sand.

    After about a year and a half, she is inexorably sent to the abattoir, where her life is brutally cut short. And this despite the fact that a hen can normally live for up to 18 years. That is, ethically speaking, totally wrong. A living creature reduced to less than a production machine.

    Who fancies an egg now? I certainly don’t anymore.

    Even those who focus solely on figures will still have to admit that the environmental impact of chicken farming is still considerably greater than that of producing plant-based protein sources. Take beans, for example.

    Fork Ranger and the hard data

    What is true, however, is that the ecological footprint (water consumption, energy consumption, CO₂ emissions) of chicken farming is much lower than that of cattle farming. So, for those who don’t want to give up meat but are considering cutting down on it: put that beef aside and opt for chicken instead of beef or other ruminant mammals such as sheep, buffalo or goat.

    An interesting source of information on the environmental impact of reducing meat and other animal products can be found at Fork Ranger. They have a website, an app and a number of multilingual publications, such as a cookbook and a seasonal calendar. However, these guys and girls couldn’t care less about animal welfare. They’re just cool number-crunchers. Still, they help put certain things into perspective and debunk false myths. As a result, their approach also helps to convince people and thus reduce meat consumption. Every little bit helps.

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  • The very best Nutella

    As a vegan, can you always give a standing ovation whenever the food industry launches a vegan alternative to some existing product?

    I don’t think so.

    Not only that, but quite the opposite.

    Let’s take one of the biggest icons of the junk food industry as an example to examine the perverse logic behind the launch of plant-based alternatives.

    Laying it all out on the table about

    vegan Nutella

    The truth about Nutella

    Take Nutella, for example. That brand of sweetened spread for sandwiches has also launched a vegan version of its flagship product. It’s easy to find these days in regular supermarkets.

    Let’s be clear.

    What is Nutella really?

    Nutella is an ultra-processed product. It is essentially sugar sold at a premium, containing a large amount of saturated fats and a small amount of cocoa (around 8 per cent) and hazelnut ingredients (around 13 per cent, if the label is to be believed) to give it a hazelnut-like appearance, primarily for visual effect.

    Almost a tenth of classic Nutella is of animal origin, specifically dairy in the form of skimmed milk powder.

    The figures show that sugar and saturated fat together account for no less than 70% (!) of this mixture. Which, of course, the manufacturer does not explicitly state on the label. Only the percentages of the so-called ‘noble’ ingredients are listed. That’s just how the food industry works. Pulling the wool over the end consumer’s eyes.

    The list of ingredients on the label of the classic Nutella on the shelves in Belgium is clearly legible.

    And then there was the plant-based version

    Nutella therefore belongs to that category of products that are a veritable threat to public health and really shouldn’t be considered food. Unless, of course, we lower the bar yet again and, for example, shrug our shoulders and regard the rampant rise in childhood obesity as ‘the new normal’.

    Now let’s take a closer look at the plant-based alternative to this junk food. Yes, you’ll need a magnifying glass. Because the label on the vegan Nutella on Belgian shop shelves is literally u-n-r-e-a-d-a-b-l-e. It’s an ultra-small, condensed font printed in brown on top of a brown background (which suggests a jute fabric). Tough luck for vegans, who, more than anyone else, need clear, legible information about the food they buy.

    A closer look reveals – albeit with some difficulty – that the vegan Nutella has virtually the same basic composition as the classic version, with milk listed only as a possible trace ingredient and replaced by chickpeas (or chickpea ingredients?). Rice syrup is also listed here, along with the – inevitably vague and enigmatic – ‘flavourings’. Read that last bit as ‘unidentified artificial additives’ that help to biochemically hook you, the consumer, on the product.

    In short: pretty much the same rubbish as the classic version, but without the milk.

    An enlightening little calculation

    Let’s take a look at the price: in a randomly selected belgian supermarket, in August 2026, we find the classic Nutella priced at 4.12 euros for 400 g, which works out at 10.30 euros per kilogram. The plant-based version is on sale at 5.45 euros for 350 g per jar. The price per kilogram of the vegan version in this shop is no less than 15.57 euros. See the comparison table below. In other words: it’s half as expensive again as the classic version. Prices vary from supermarket to supermarket, but the price difference between the classic and the vegan versions is proportionally just as large there too. Note the subtle difference in weight between the contents of the two jars, which nevertheless look the same size. This suggests a deliberate creation of illusions – in other words, deception.

    Kind of NutellaWeightPrice store 1Price store 2Price/kg store 1Price/kg store 2
    Classic400 g4,12 €3,59 €10,30 €8,97 €
    Plant-based350 g5,45 €4,85 €15,57 €13,86 €

    Is that fair or not?

    Is that price difference justified? Let’s do the maths again. The 8.7 per cent milk powder in the classic version corresponds to a quantity of approximately 34 g. Standard milk powder costs, at the retail price, around 18.00 to 20.00 euros per kg. Assuming that the vegan version contains a roughly comparable 9 per cent of chickpeas, this corresponds to a weight of approximately 31.5 g. Raw chickpeas cost, on average, around 5.00 euros per kg. Cooked chickpeas and chickpea flour are slightly more expensive, at 6.00 euros and 9.00 euros per kilogram respectively. If we work all this out, the milk powder amounts to approximately 0.65 euros per jar in terms of value, compared with 0.24 euros per jar for the chickpeas …

    As might be expected, this does not in any way justify the price difference between the animal-based and the traditional versions; quite the opposite, in fact.

    Contempt for outsiders

    And that’s a real slap in the face for plant-based consumers.

    Chickpeas are therefore clearly by far the cheapest raw material. Furthermore, the cultivation of chickpeas has a particularly low environmental footprint. In contrast, cattle farming and the dairy industry place a particularly heavy strain on the environment and ecosystems.

    That alone should be reason enough to do away with classic Nutella immediately and replace it with the plant-based version. At least for those who still want to keep poisoning themselves or their children with massive doses of refined sugar.

    This just goes to show how most of these vegan ‘junk food’ alternatives are yet another example of the deep contempt that the food industry effectively harbours for people who, for various reasons, do not simply toe the line.

    Choose the best Nutella

    For the average consumer with no prior knowledge of nutrition (and that is the vast majority), the vegan version is perceived as the more expensive, luxury version of Nutella, which offers no added value whatsoever and which they will therefore give a wide berth. This product simply reinforces the cliché that: plant-based = expensive.

    Only consumers who are often slightly better educated and have a more developed sense of awareness might be willing to part with their money for this product. And these consumers are, in effect, regarded as a cash cow. A limited segment of ‘difficult’ consumers, who pay dearly for their critical thinking.

    You’d have to be a masochist to want to buy this product. We’d be better off spending our money on healthier and more ethical alternatives. Because, on top of all this, Nutella’s owner, the multinational Ferrero, has a very poor track record when it comes to the environment, social justice and health.

    Without a doubt, the best Nutella is the one you leave untouched.

  • Lemon and coconut balls


    Here’s a simple recipe for a healthy, sweet and refreshing snack. It only requires a handful of ingredients, which are used raw.

    A sweet, refreshing

    plant-based treat


    The lemon juice and grated lemon zest add a wonderfully refreshing touch, making these treats ideal for the warmer months. Ready in about an hour, including the half-hour resting time. Some of the ingredients do need to be left to soak for a while beforehand.

    Buckwheat

    This recipe uses buckwheat. This is a less common grain. It can grow in fairly poor soil. Buckwheat is a very easily digestible grain. It is nutritious and gluten-free, which may be an advantage for some people. Roasted buckwheat grains are also known as kasha.

    In a traditional supermarket, wheat dominates the cereal section. It looks rather like a dull monoculture. So you may well have to head to an organic shop or supermarket to find buckwheat.

    Ingredients for about 16 balls:

    • 125 g cashew nuts, soaked and rinsed
    • 60 g buckwheat (plain or pre-roasted), soaked and rinsed.
    • 40 g rolled oats
    • 7–8 dates, pitted
    • 20 g grated coconut, and about 20 g extra for the outer coating of the balls
    • the juice and grated zest of 1 organically grown lemon
    • a pinch of iodised sea salt or herb salt

    Pre-soak or not?

    We use the whole buckwheat grains. You can soak them for half an hour before using them. They swell quickly. Rinse them thoroughly after soaking, until the water runs clear.

    Like most other types of nuts, cashews are easier to digest if they are soaked beforehand. About three hours in cold water is sufficient. It can also be done more quickly – about half an hour in warm water. The cashews will absorb part of the water and become softer.

    You don’t need to soak the rolled oats.

    A sweetener that’s rich in fibre

    We use pitted dried dates as a sweetener. If you can find soft Medjoul or Mazafiti dates, you can simply use them straight away. However, if you have other, drier and harder varieties, such as Deglet Nour dates, it’s best to soak them in cold water for half an hour to soften them. Cut them into small pieces beforehand; this helps the soaking process. Dates are a healthy, relatively inexpensive and wholesome sweetener. Eating them whole also provides you with some extra fibre.

    This is how you proceed:

    1. Soak the buckwheat, cashew nuts and dates as described above.
    2. Grate the lemon zest and squeeze the lemon for the juice.
    3. Place the oats, buckwheat and cashew nuts in the bowl of a food processor fitted with an S-shaped blade and pulse until coarsely ground.
    4. Then add the other ingredients: the dates, 20 g of the grated coconut, the lemon zest and the lemon juice. Mix well.
    5. Place the mixture in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes to cool slightly and firm up.
    6. After the resting time, scoop out the mixture spoonful by spoonful and, using clean, slightly damp hands, roll the dough into small balls.
    7. Then roll them in the remaining grated coconut to give them their white, flaky coating.


    If you grind the grain and nut mixture too finely for too long, the texture will start to resemble dough. You should therefore grind it less intensively so that the texture remains slightly coarser and subtly crunchier.

    These lemon and coconut balls will stay fresh for a whole week in a sealed container in the fridge.

    Why not choose animal-based dairy products?

    It’s best to make sweet treats like these yourself. Most of the sweets and pastries on sale on the shelves of the food industry are rubbish that isn’t really worthy of the name ‘food’. The confectionery and pastry industries are a lucrative market for animal-based ingredients. Think of milk (powder), egg (powder), butter, gelatine and the like. What’s more, sugar is added in more than generous quantities. Using just the right amount of salt and all manner of synthetic flavourings, the taste is fine-tuned in laboratories until the product is as addictive as possible.

    Nutritional values

    Lemon and coconut balls, per 100 g of product.

    The values are approximate.

    EnergyCarbsSugarsFatSat. fatProteinFibreSalt
    400 kcal55 g26,6 g19,3 g9,2 g8,8 g7,7 g0,07 g
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