Chickpea Curry Burritos with Mint and Chilli Sauce - from Vegan: The Cookbook

Is Google going vegan?

It’s certainly trying to get its cafeteria diners to eat less meat, via tasty new tacos and other "power dishes"

Google seems to know pretty much everything, so it shouldn’t come as any surprise to learn that the tech giant has a good grip on global warming. “Climate change is real,” states the firm on its environment pages. “We’re a global company, and our goal is to give everyone everywhere the tools and opportunities they need to play their own part in protecting the planet.”

Google has been a carbon-neutral company since 2007, and in 2017 it hopes to draw all of its energy from renewable sources. However, Google also realises that plenty of greenhouse gas emissions come from meat consumption. In order to bring that down, its caterers have been working with the Better Buying Lab, an organisation that hopes to use behavioural economics, marketing, as well as excellent cookery, to reduce meat consumption.

 

Hazelnut And Bean Burger - from Vegan: The Cookbook
Hazelnut And Bean Burger - from Vegan: The Cookbook

Fast Company reports that, rather than push meat-free dishes on to its staff, Google is keen to develop “power dishes”, which its staff will favour freely over a steak or a burger.

The firm is also keen to get ardent meat-eaters to reduce their intake, by introducing, say, minced mushrooms into an otherwise beef-heavy burger patty.

One of the more successful "power dish" prototypes is a taco, albeit one with a quinoa and broccoli tortilla, filled with kimchi, sautéed mushroom and garnished with an avocado and nut cream.

 

Chocolate bananas - from Vegan: The Cookbook
Chocolate bananas - from Vegan: The Cookbook

 

Google’s caterers believe that, while plenty of the dish’s appeal lies in the ingredients, the name also makes a difference too. Initially listed as a mushroom taco, the item is now described as a “spicy multi-nut maitake taco and quinoa tortilla,” since researchers think indulgent sounding names are more attractive.

We can all find out just how delicious this food is, when the recipes are posted online later this year. Until then, for a tasty, indulgent take on vegan food consider our delicious new book, Vegan: The Cookbook, and for everything taco related get Tacopedia.