Impossible Beef at FairPrice is something to savour

Meat is a tasty source of protein in much of our diet, but the way most meat is made today has a destructive impact on our planet.

Between 1970 and 2012, more than 45 per cent of the earth's land area and more than 25 per cent of all freshwater used in agriculture was required to manufacture meat, contributing 15 to 18 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and causing a 58 per cent decline in wild mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish.

Enter Impossible Foods, founded in 2011 by Pat Brown, a Professor Emeritus of biochemistry at Stanford University, co-founder of the Public Library of Science and inventor of the DNA microarray.

His vision was to make meat, dairy and fish directly from plants instead of animals, and for it to be delicious, nutritious, accessible and with a much smaller environmental footprint.

When it comes to food choices and attitudes in Singapore, consumers are increasingly looking for foods that are good for the environment.

The signature offering Impossible Beef has no cholesterol, trans fat, animal hormones or antibiotics, and is a source of protein, iron and calcium.

It boasts a recipe created by chefs, scientists and nutrition experts using basic components found commonly in other foods.

It tastes like beef because Impossible Foods, which produces its burgers at a large-scale manufacturing plant in Oakland, California, discovered that one molecule - heme - is primarily responsible for generating the unmistakable flavour and aroma of cooked meat.

The company then figured out how to make meat from plants - with vitamins, amino acids and sugars, soy protein, sunflower oil, cellulose, coconut oil, potato protein and heme.

Its first product, the Impossible Burger, delivers the taste, texture and aroma of ground beef.

It is far better for the planet than burgers from cows as it uses 96 per cent less land, 87 per cent less water and leads to 89 per cent less in emissions of greenhouse gases.

It also contains 19g of protein - the same amount per serving as beef from cows.

It is a healthier option as it contains zero cholesterol and trans fat, half less total fat, as well as 50 less calories. It is a source of iron, zinc, potassium, calcium and phosphorus, as well as B vitamins, including folate and vitamin B12.

For those with dietary restrictions, the Impossible Burger is gluten-free, halal and kosher.

Since last month, Impossible Beef has been sold in nearly 100 FairPrice stores, including FairPrice supermarkets, FairPrice Finest and FairPrice Xtra hypermarkets.

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Impossible Japchae recipe

Anything you make with ground meat, you can make with Impossible Beef.

Try this recipe for Impossible Japchae, a savoury and slightly sweet dish of stir-fried glass noodles and vegetables that is popular in Korean cuisine.

INGREDIENTS

• 400g potato starch vermicelli
• 340g Impossible Beef Made from Plants
• 80g spinach
• 1 small onion
• 1 carrot
• 3 tbsp sesame oil

Spicy sauce

• 3 tbsp sugar
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 to 2 tbsp Korean chilli paste
• 3 to 4 tbsp water
• 3 to 4 tsp toasted sesame seeds

PREPARATION

20 minutes

1. Combine spicy sauce, set aside.
2. Peel onion and cut into thin slices, peel carrot and cut into thin slices, mince garlic.
3. Trim the top part of the spinach

COOKING

25 minutes

4. Cook potato starch vermicelli in a large pot of boiling water for 7 to 8 minutes, drain excess water, cut up vermicelli with a pair of scissors
5. Blanch spinach with a pot of boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, rinse under cold water, squeeze out excess water then cut into two-inch sections and set aside
6. Add sesame oil in a frying pan over high heat, saute garlic, onion and carrot until tender for about 3 to 5 minutes
7. Add Impossible Beef Made from Plants, cook until brown and crumble, for about 5 to 7 minutes
8. Add cooked potato starch vermicelli and spinach, cook until all ingredients are heated through. Turn off heat. Transfer to serving plate and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Cooking tip

Add 2 to 3 tbsp oil or sesame oil into cooked potato starch vermicelli to prevent it sticking together.

Visit ImpossibleFoods.com/hk-en/recipes for more recipe inspirations.

 

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Add Marigold, Vitagen to your daily diet for a healthier you

Marigold HL Milk, the first high-low milk introduced in Singapore in 1988, is an established and trusted brand which has remained the top-selling low fat milk through the years. Not only is it great tasting, it is specially formulated for a healthier lifestyle and has the perfect balance of nutrients for everyone in the family.

And keep your gut healthy with Vitagen Less Sugar, the only cultured milk drink in Singapore that contains both prebiotics and probiotics. Just like Marigold HL Milk, it is a Healthier Choice product.

From now till Dec 25 and exclusively at FairPrice, purchase $25 worth of Marigold and Vitagen Less Sugar participating chilled products in a single receipt at FairPrice (excluding FairPrice Online and Warehouse Club) and redeem a three-piece food organiser set.

Redemptions can be made on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from Marigold booths located at the chilled sections of FairPrice Tampines Mall (11am to 6pm) as well as FairPrice Xtra Jurong Point, FairPrice Hillion Mall, FairPrice Woodlands Civic Centre, FairPrice Northpoint City, FairPrice Xtra Ang Mo Kio Hub and FairPrice Xtra Nex (1pm to 7pm).

Redemptions are on a first-come-first-served basis and while stocks last. Terms and conditions apply.

Don't miss the upcoming Marigold Roadshow too, which takes place at FairPrice Eastpoint (Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 6pm), FairPrice Toa Payoh HDB Hub (Saturday to Tuesday, 12pm to 6pm) and FairPrice Woodlands Civic Centre (Dec 5-7, 12pm to 6pm).

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Don't just drink bubble tea, you can bite into it too

Need an instant cool-down after a long, humid day?

I-mei ice bars not only imitate the taste of bubble tea, but are just as addictive.

The milk tea variant, Pearl Milk Tea Ice Bar, is a popular choice, as are other variants from the range such as Mung Bean Jelly Milk Ice Bar, Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Ice Bar, Taro Milk Ice Bar, Green Tea & Red Bean Milky Ice Bar and Red Bean Jelly Milk Ice Bar.

I-mei ice bars are imported from Taiwan and available only at FairPrice. From now till Dec 2, buy one and get one free at $13.90.