Green Monday SA empowers Philippi community with plant-based cooking

Green Monday Community Outreach

From our own health to the health of the environment and the well-being of animals, there are a lot of reasons to eat more plants, but also a lot of misconceptions about what that means.

Families on tight budgets might assume that plant-based meals are expensive or time-consuming to prepare. In reality, plant-based meals can be more affordable, easier to prepare (and more delicious) than conventional animal-based foods.

Wholesome cooking

In order to demonstrate this reality and empower all South African communities, including low LSM communities, to be green and healthy by eating plant-based at least one day per week, plant-based cooking took Philippi by storm.

55 participants from the Philippi Community attended the Green Monday South Africa workshop which aimed to provide them with the skills and knowledge to cook more wholesome, healthy and inexpensive plant-based meals.

The workshop began with a short talk on the nutritional benefits of plant-based eating. Then participating chefs - Mama Kaba from Abalimi, Nikki Botha from PLANT, Toni Brockhoven from Beauty Without Cruelty and Kim Unser from Ladle of Love demonstrated how delicious, easy and inexpensive plant-based dishes are to prepare. Guests enjoyed Butternut Soup in Keep It Bag, Umfino spinach pie, basil spaghetti and sweet Rooibos mieliemeal dishes.

All produce was sourced from Abalimi/Green Road, and equipment needed was sourced from the community itself, ensuring that participants can easily replicate these dishes in their own homes. Guests were also given Green Monday booklets (in English and Xhosa) filled with recipes based on locally available ingredients.