LAGOM - October 2024
Creamy roasted garlic pasta, the best vegan cookbooks, toast ideas and a discount on our annual subscriptions!
Hello, hello!
For our October iteration, we have a new, delicious creamy roasted garlic pasta recipe, a curated list of cookbooks, vegan and vegetarian, that will help you expand your knowledge and cooking techniques or simply feed in your bookshelf, plus substantial and vibrant toast ideas for when a quick lunch or snack is calling. We are also expanding our birthday offering discount on paid subscriptions until mid-November because it is not every year that we achieve a first anniversary! This month, we felt the need to spend time in the kitchen, cooking, photographing, reading and sharing about food. Food is an empowering medium for behavioural and system change. For us, food is our medicine, and cooking is a way to connect with what fuels our body, a daily proof comforting us in our life choices and an effective way to tangibly act on climate change in an autonomous way that won’t depend on others.
It is no secret that drastic changes at all levels of society are required to stem an established climate change crisis, yet it is costing a lot of people to start. We are currently witnessing never-seen-before weather episodes raging all over the globe, and now a recent UN report confirmed that the world is heading towards a 3.1°C temperature increase by 2100, surpassing the original Paris Agreement target of 1.5°C by 2030. This means more deadly weather patterns and biodiversity collapses that will reduce the ecosystem’s resilience and, by extension, our society’s. Changes are crucial, and they have to happen now. A recent read about the concept of life as a spiral—understanding that life works as a rotation, that after every significant shift, you can never return to what was. You must keep looking forward, and as such, the spiral concept is freeing. This approach, instead of chasing what was and using energy to return to a state that can never be, all your energy is in the present, utilised to move forward towards the next state of being, its transformative energy. How are you spending yours?
Roasted garlic pasta
We’ve taken inspiration from a Pinterest find but made a version more suited to us. Our roasted garlic pasta is made with olive oil, vegan butter and oat cream rather than heavy dairy products for a meal that respects our digestive system. Here, we also discuss why we need to be more aware of the foods we eat, their packaging and what the push to control plastic waste and chemicals in food packaging means for you.
The best vegan and vegetarian cookbooks
As you know, our love for food and cooking runs deep. And while the Internet and Pinterest supply what feels like endless search results for any given ingredient, cookbooks offer a different kind of convenience. We are still building our collections, so this is a partial list of the books that we return to and others that we want to have in our kitchens. Bon appetit!
Toast anyone? Our favourite topping ideas
We love toast. What started as a fallback lunch situation many years ago is now a regular ritual. There are many positives to making toast—they are easy, quick, and practical to prepare; they make for a satisfying meal any time of the day, and for us, they are rich in evocative flavours and bring us closer to our food. We do have many prep methods and recipes on the website, from the simple avocado toast with apple cider vinegar, preserved lemon, lemon juice and hemp seeds or with tomato to the more elaborate versions with smoked baked beans, miso beans or quinoa, corn and pesto. That is without forgetting the classic egg gimmick toast with scrambled tofu or alternative protein slathered with chimichurri. And that is not it yet! We also love a rich, flavourful topping on our favourite slice of bread, such as this turmeric split pea hummus, turmeric kumara hummus, green pea hummus or roasted beetroot cannellini beans. There is something for all taste buds. Stay tuned to our socials for more ideas straight from our kitchens.
15% OFF for our Substack birthday continues!
Our Substack publication turned 1 year old in October, so to celebrate, we offered a 15% birthday discount on annual subscriptions through the 31st of October. But good news! We decided to extend the offer until the 15th of November. Annual subscriptions are now NZ$39, A$35.70, €22 and US$24 [approx.]! You will receive 12 curation lists and 12 essay emails + our regular monthly missive throughout the year, which will help you make lifestyle choices benefiting your environment, your community and yourself. It is a fantastic opportunity to show value in our work, support us, and normalise paying for a medium you appreciate.
Amandine's edit
I am on the side of a precautionary approach to Artificial Intelligence, mainly because of its environmental toll and lack of respect for private property, specifically regarding imagery. As such, I am sharing about Nightshade, a free software tool helping artists protect their work from AI learning by intoxicating models scanning their work. In short, Nightshade subtly tags the original image at a pixel level, which will show a completely different picture to the AI program, stopping the ability of the AI to mimic said artist’s style. Learn more about all the techniques here.
[Sustainable clothing brand alert]. One of the perks of relocating to another country is to discover new local artists and designers, particularly those with high ethical standards and responsible manufacturing. Caro Luna is one. Designing and manufacturing in Barcelona, Spain, Carolina Ferrer, the founder, produces a small collection of swim costumes and knitted dresses that smell good of the sun and the Summer—a brand for the warm temperatures, with straightforward designs and colourful, simple patterns. I came for the Yolanda Long Dress, but very keen on the Olivia bikini, too!
On my grooming wish list—Herbar Official Face oil. Organic, vegan and cruelty-free, this face oil is deeply nourishing with skin barrier restorative properties thanks to its key ingredients, reishi and tremella mushrooms. According to Herba, we can expect velvety texture for our complexion, as well as vibrancy, reduction of irritation and other skin disorders. I like the packaging, the brand identity and the ethos of Herbar. It is also founded and owned by women!
Trace's edit
A recent Instagram post on why recycling in fashion is not working. It is actually the comment made by Rubbish London that more accurately explains the situation, that there is not a lot of demand for recycled content because it costs more and therefore mainstream brands, fast fashion are not using it, there is not enough regulation et cetera. The post shares some statistics and the realities of recycling claims that are often overstated by chains. And for anyone wondering what is happening with all those in-store collections, the post will leave you asking questions.
TSU LANGE YOR has released, this week, a collection of aromatic candles placed together, contained within the work of artist Jane Guthleben. This would make a beautiful gift, or buy them for yourself. TSU LANGE YOR candles are hand-poured in Australia. They are vegan, cruelty-free, and free of paraffin, parabens, phthalates, and lead. Shipping to most countries is available.
For anyone looking for natural fibre underwear, two-for-one recs this month. AU Natural is made from Merino wool and carries the WOOLMARK certification for durability and performance, and Baserange has launched its men's collection.
Thoughts, questions, you can always direct reply to these emails. We look forward to hearing from you!
Tracey Creed & Amandine Paniagua
