Plastic-Free Pasta (make the switch!)

The Yorkshire Pasta Company is a young fresh company founded by four friends. Also sold in sacks for wholesale use (or for big families that eat a lot of pasta!), the bags are sealed with metal clips, to keep the pasta fresh without plastic.

Rather than use cheap methods of production and inferior wheat that creates ‘slimy pasta’, this brand uses bronze dies, to cut the pasta to produce uneven rough edges, which helps to hold onto your pasta sauce better! Winner of five Great Taste Awards, you’ll find this pasta in over 500 independent shops nationwide, or buy online at Farm Fetch.

Before cooking, read our post on food safety for people and pets (as well as fresh dough, many pasta dish ingredients like garlic, onion, mushrooms, lemon and spices are unsafe near animal friends).

For recipes, just bin allium scraps (onion, garlic, shallots, chives, leeks, as acids could harm compost creatures (same for citrus/tomato/rhubarb).

The pasta is also slow-dried, so this gives time for the wheat flour to mature, producing a more flavourful pasta. The brand is even powered by solar energy! The wheat is also fortified with vitamins and minerals, and some people find it easier to digest, than common white pasta.

The Yorkshire Pasta Company’s success is now helping to support 169 local farms, and a local mill with over 130 years experience. Plus all the range is vegan-friendly (no eggs).

The range includes:

• Fusilli
• Penne Rigati
• Conchiglie Rigate
• Tortglioni
• Mezze Maniche Rigate
• 5k Sacks

How to Cook Pasta (like the Italians)

Bring a pan of water to a rolling boil, and salt the water before adding pasta. Unless you have a medical condition. Not salting water in Italy when cooking, makes it ‘silly pasta!’ You will notice the difference in taste.

Serve with Plant-Based Parmesan

Everything tastes better with a little grated cheese on top. But Parmesan is not even vegetarian, as by law it contains a cheese made with calf rennet.

Instead, just grate your favourite vegan cheese on top. Or learn to make plant-based parmesan! It’s very simple, and once mastered, you’ll never go back!

Northern Pasta Co (spelt pasta in paper packaging)

The Northern Pasta Co is made in a sustainable manner. It uses nutty spelt flour (not gluten-free, but an an ancient grain that’s easier to digest than wheat). Grown in fields using regenerative farming methods, to create a nutritionally dense flour that is used to make the pasta.

The farms are biodiverse to support local pollinators and sheep are used to graze the fields, as natural pest control. The pasta is then cut using bronze dies for a rough surface, and sold in paper packaging.

This brand now has over 500 5-star reviews, and is sold in many independent health and farm shops. It also uses a local miller, to support independent historic businesses.

The range includes:

• Radiatori
• Rigatoni
• Fusilli
• Gigli
• Casarecce
• Conchigilette

Hasta La Pasta Seasoning!

This offering is ideal to add to pasta. It’s made with fennel seeds, herbs (parsley and chives), garlic powder, black and Aleppo pepper and flaked sea salt. Ideal to elevate all your dishes, and also packed in a tin for easy recycling.

Biona (Paper-Packed Organic Pantry Basics)

Biona is an organic food brand that produces all your basic grocery items for the food cupboard. What’s different is that it now offers all these items in paper packaging.

There are over 30 items in the range, which you can find in independent health stores and farm shops, or in some supermarkets. Or stock up online:

• Rice (risotto, basmati, jasmine, sushi, pudding)
• Wholegrain and White Penne, Fusilli, Spaghetti
• Millet, quinoa, bulgar, fonio
• Brown and Green Lentils
• Amaranth and polenta
• Dark-Chocolate Coated Cherries or Strawberries

If you eat a lot of these foods, earn loyalty points online, for big savings with regular purchases.

Safari Spelt Pasta offers organic German-grown spelt flour that is gentle on smaller tummies. This organic pasta is quick to cook and is sold in a plastic-free box.

Mr Organic (120 organic Italian pantry basics)

If you like serving pasta with tomato sauce or passata, look in stores for Mr Organic, a brand that stocks over 120 organic and vegan pantry basics, all sold in sustainable packaging.

‘Mr Organic’ really does exist (unlike Mr Kipling!) Valerio is from three generations of Italian tomato producers,  which has a team of people committed to organic farming, which is better for the planet, wildlife and our health. Of course it’s good to also support English organic tomato farmers, but for ready-made products, these are from not too far away, and from an ethical company doing good.

Most items (apart from the seitan tomato sauce) are gluten-free, and everything is free from palm oil.

Palm oil is responsible for ridiculous amounts of deforestation and is extremely harmful to local communities, the environment and wildlife. Which is why you’ll never find us using it. Mr Organic

There are naturally-sweetened versions of the tomato ketchup etc. And everything is sea-freighted (never imported by air) to reduce carbon emissions.

Most items are packed in tins, and new batches of pasta are to be in paper packaging (for now, recycle any soft plastic packaging in supermarket bag bins, if your kerbside does not recycle.

Vegan-Friendly Store Cupboard Heaven!

If you want to stock your store cupboard up with some vegan-friendly ambient foods that are high in protein, Mr Organic’s your man! The range includes:

• A wonderful range of gourmet beans (including baked beans!)
• Pasta sauces with protein! Lentils, seitan and tofu
• Vegan-friendly pesto (with pine nuts)
• Leek and potato soup (yes, an organic vegan version!)

A Recipe For Easy Pasta Bake (no boiling required!)

This easy pasta bake (Happy Vegannie) is an original recipe, if you like pasta but not all the washing-up after, with various pots and pans. This recipe is by a chef and environmental scientist, who has come up with an easy alternative!

How does this work? You simply mix the ingredients (dry pasta, coconut milk, veggie broth, onion/garlic powder, chilli flakes and tomato paste, then pop everything into a baking dish and bake. The broth and milk ‘cook the pasta’ by soaking into the ingredients in the oven. Clever stuff!

Mushroom & Vegan Sausage Pasta 

If you like a nice big hearty supper, then try this recipe for mushroom and vegan sausage pasta (The Simple Veganista). Once you’ve mastered the method, it’s sure to become a weeknight favourite!

It’s cheap and filling, contains healthy tomatoes and mushrooms, with protein from ready-made vegan sausages. The only ingredient you’ll have to look out for are vegan sausages. We like Moving Mountains (sold everywhere, and made from natural ingredients). Most councils now recycle soft plastic packaging.

A Lemon Pasta Recipe (like the Italians eat!)

This lemon pasta recipe (The Simple Veganista) is akin more to how Italians eat pasta (as a first course or main meal). They don’t pour a jar of watery tomato sauce over spaghetti.

Just fry fresh garlic and dried red pepper flakes in vegan butter or olive oil. While your pasta is cooking, squeeze and zest your lemons, then toss the pasta in the flavoured oil, zest and season with fresh parsley, sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.

Serve with plant-based Parmesan (conventional Parmesan is not even vegetarian, as it contains a cheese that by law, contains calf rennet).

Most of us buy a few lemons now and then. Although not local, if you buy more than a few at a time, here are some simple recipes to use up the ones leftover. Lemons are a source of food waste in England, as many suppliers reject green-skinned and large lemons, even if they are perfect okay inside.