I am so glad to have my friend and fellow plant-based advocate Ken Botts on my blog today! Ken has over 35 years of food service experience, and helped launch the nation’s first vegan cafeteria at University of North Texas. In 2014, he joined the Humane Society of the United States as a food policy manager. Since then he has helped food service leaders around the world meet the demand for more sustainable dining through menu design, culinary education and concept development. His mission in life is to help make the world a better place, one plate at a time (and he really means this!). You can follow Ken on Facebook and Twitter.
Ken is passionate about living a plant-based lifestyle, and I just had to have him on my blog to share his best tips with you.
Tell us about your plant-based journey. What brought you to plant-based eating?
At the age of 17, I read an amazing book, Diet for a Small Planet by Francis Moore Lappe. This book opened my eyes to the environmental impact our food choices have on the planet. I learned that by eating less meat and more plants we can reduce the waste of natural resources and help end world hunger, so I became vegetarian. In 2009, I helped open the nation’s first “vegan” dining hall. It was during the development of the menus for that cafeteria that I made the decision to ditch dairy and eggs and haven’t looked back since.
How does your job at the Humane Society help promote plant-based eating?
As a food policy manager for the Humane Society of the United States, I meet with food service professionals at universities, hospitals and other large organizations around the nation, helping them develop menus that meet their customers’ demand for meatless meals. One of the programs I helped create is the Food Forward Culinary Experience. This is a two-day culinary program where we are in the kitchen with knives and cutting boards, showing chefs how to make plant-based proteins the star of the plate. We started this program at Harvard University last year and since that time we have trained over 200 chefs and will double that figure this year.
You are a foodie, are you inspired by today’s evolution of plant-based cuisine? Why?
Yes, it is very inspiring to see plant-based cuisine become the preferred option on people’s plates for so many reasons. First, as I mentioned above, it’s good for the planet. According to the Sierra Club, if Americans reduced our meat consumption by just 20 percent, it would have the same environmental benefit as everyone switching from a standard sedan to a hybrid vehicle. Second, it is good for our health. The American Heart Association said that going veggie, even just one day a week, is great for reducing your risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Lastly, it is good for our animal friends. By taking them off our plates and choosing to eat plant-based meals, we are saving lives and ending their horrific suffering on factory farms.
What are some of your favorite plant-based food trends going on today?
When I attend culinary conferences, I am excited to hear chefs talking about ways to put more plant-based foods and less meat on the plate. I’m hearing terms like “plant forward” being used in traditional culinary circles. Universities like Arizona State University, the nation’s largest university by enrollment (75,000 students), are adding plant-based stations to their cafeterias. Hospitals are doing it too. Palomar Health in San Diego celebrates Meatless Monday every week and offers plant-based options to hospital visitors and on its patient menus. Then there are athletes like NFL defensive lineman David Carter Jr., the “300 pound vegan” embracing plant-based foods. David has seen his performance on the field improve and recovers quicker from injuries because of his diet. Plant-based dining is no longer a trend; it’s mainstream, and this is very exciting!
What are your 5 favorite foods that you just can’t live without?
I love home-style dishes that remind me of food my mom would make when I was growing up. Like mac-n-cheese (made with cashew cheese) or a yummy shepherd’s pie. I also love many international dishes like homemade black bean tamales for an authentic taste of Mexico, or chana masala, a savory Indian chickpea dish. For a quick bite, I love a good bean burrito from Taco Bell – no cheese, extra onions please.
You travel for your work; what sorts of plant-based dining trends are you seeing around the country, and even the world?
Yes, I’m on the road a lot and eat most of my meals out. It’s getting easier to find plant-based items on restaurant menus everywhere. I was recently in Boston and enjoyed a nice bowl of black bean chili at Panera Bread. Fast food restaurants have plant-based menus too. Burger King – the king of burgers – has a veggie burger; Taco Bell has 13 American Vegetarian Association certified menu items and Wendy’s is rolling out a black bean burger. When I’m home, my favorite restaurant is Sage plant-based bistro in Culver City. It’s yummy! And Gracias Madre, an upscale plant-based Mexican restaurant in West Hollywood, is great for a fancy night out. Speaking of Mexican food, I was recently in Mexico City meeting with chefs and restaurant owners there and found vegan restaurants everywhere. There was even a vegan street taco stand that was off-the charts!
What are your favorite tips for helping people jump onto the plant-based bandwagon?
Start with the end goal in mind and ask yourself what you are trying to accomplish? Are you doing it to improve your health, to make the world a better place or because you care about animals? Next, decide on a program that works for you. Some people start with Meatless Monday or try a program like Mark Bittman’s Vegan Before 6. Some people begin by phasing meat out starting with chicken and turkey, then fish, then pork and beef. If you think you’ll miss meat, good news: there are great meat alternatives like Beyond Meat, Gardein or Tofurky to help with your transition. However you end up doing it, you will be happy you did. You’ll feel better, you’ll have more energy and you’ll be making a positive difference in the world.
Please share a favorite recipe with us!
I love Mexican food. Growing up in Southern California not only influenced my love for Mexican food but it influenced the way I cook. This is one of my favorite recipes – Fiesta Taco Salad. For more great recipe ideas visit the Humane Society of the United States’ recipe page.
3 heads of Romaine lettuce hearts – chopped or shredded
1 medium sized red onion – chopped
4 Roma tomatoes – seeded and chopped
2 cups of fresh, frozen (thaw if frozen) or canned corn
1 cup of steel cut oats
1 package of Taco Seasoning
1 – 15 ounce can of chili beans (check label to make sure there is no animal fat used to season the beans)
Instructions
Make the dressing by mixing the sour cream and salsa together. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator.
In a bowl mash the avocado, lime juice and salt together to make a simple guacamole. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator.
Prepare all of the produce, cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
In a medium sauce pan, bring 6 cups of water to a boil, then add 1 cup of steel cut oats. Bring to a boil again, lower the heat and let simmer for about 7 minutes
After 7 minutes turn off the heat and strain the oats using a fine mesh strainer for about 10 seconds, then return the oats to the sauce pan, cover and let steam (no heat) for about 10 minutes
While the oats are ‘steaming’, open the can of chili beans and heat. Once the beans are heated, turn off the heat, cover and let sit while you finish the oats.
In a medium sized frying pan, add steel cut oats and taco seasoning (follow directions on label). Once the oats are seasoned through and the sauce has thickened, turn off heat and assemble the salads
Salad assembly
Cover the plate with a layer of chopped romaine lettuce. Sprinkle a layer red onions followed by the tomatoes.
Spoon sour cream and salsa dressing over the romaine lettuce, onions and tomatoes. Top with chili beans, steel cut oats and finish with corn and a dollop of guacamole.
One thought on “Plant Chat: Ken Botts, Humane Society of the United States”
Great interview! Ken is doing amazing work to improve our world! This recipe is a fantastic way to use steel cut oats! Simple, familiar, yet creative, and so economical! Oats are also even more accessible than quinoa for my students!
Great interview! Ken is doing amazing work to improve our world! This recipe is a fantastic way to use steel cut oats! Simple, familiar, yet creative, and so economical! Oats are also even more accessible than quinoa for my students!