The Scruffy Club in March: five unapologetic recipes and more news

THE SCRUFFY CLUB IN MARCH

Hello Subscriber First Name,

Welcome to the club house! Five new recipes on the website are waiting for you.

But before you dive into the food and the news, I have a massive announcement. Next week, we are launching a crowdfunding campaign to quite literally quadruple the size of our animal sanctuary, Auchón! We have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to secure the surrounding land, giving rescues like Silvestre the donkey and Tofu the pig the endless room and freedom they deserve. We need to raise a minimum of €9,500 to buy the land, with a stretch goal of €19,500 to fund fencing, mobile shelters, and rehabilitation enclosures. We're funding this expansion mostly through art and activism—offering wild rewards like original portraits by Yves, exclusive stays at Hektor featuring Scruffy Chef dinners, original artworks, studio visits, workshops and limited editions by Hektor’s artists in residence and limited-edition pins. Jump on the waitlist right now to get notified 24 hours before we announce it on our socials. Hint: the first 50 backers might just snag a signed copy of The new Scruffy Chef Magazine!

At the same time, let's have a look at some news, like Jaden Smith's inspiring community-funded restaurant model, understand the staggering space needed for animal foods, and have a long read about the true cost of animal agriculture and the "global casino" controlling our food prices.

Enjoy the club!

The Scruffy Chef

The recipes

Cheesy cashew burger

A bagel burger loaded with cashew cheese and zucchini? Yes, please. This isn't your average fast-food sad patty. The gooey, crunchy, savoury payoff is absolutely worth the wait.

Fermented papas bravas

If you think you know patatas bravas, think again. We are taking this Spanish classic to the next level by fermenting the potatoes first. The tangy, crispy payoff will blow your mind and have your guests begging for the secret

Chocolate cake

A chocolate cake that requires no eggs, no dairy, and absolutely zero apologies. This decadent, rich beauty will make you the star of any birthday party or Tuesday night couch session.

Granola

Whether you are hosting brunch or just need a sweet and crunchy start to your morning, this granola will hit the spot. It is wildly easy to make, and infinitely better than dealing with store-bought mediocrity.

Peanut butter cookies

These cookies are the ultimate crowd-pleaser and wildly easy to make. No need for complicated machinery, just your own two hands and an insatiable craving for peanut butter.

The news

I Love You Restaurant

I love you

Jaden Smith launched the I Love You Restaurant as a pay-what-you-can concept, allowing customers to eat for free or contribute extra to cover meals for others. The model grew out of earlier food truck initiatives that provided free, healthy meals to underserved communities in Los Angeles. By combining optional pricing with community-funded support, the project turns everyday purchases into a shared system — using scale, participation, and design to make access to food less dependent on personal income. See the post here.

The cost of animal agriculture

Australian philanthropist Philip Wollen explains the true cost and scale of animal agriculture. If we killed human beings at the same rate as we do ‘farmed animals’ we would be wiped out in one weekend. Watch the video here (Plantbasednews)

Fork Ranger, Frank Holleman

Deforestation and the Land Print of Food

Every minute we lose 23 football fields of forest. Why? Because growing food requires a massive amount of space, with about half of the world's habitable land used for food production. Shockingly, 80% of that land is used for animal foods, even though they only provide 17% of all calories. If we eat less meat—especially beef—we can drastically reduce the amount of space we need for food production and bring back a lot of forest. Read the post here.

The global food casino

Food prices are fluctuating wildly due to geopolitical tensions and climate change, causing countries to start hoarding grain reserves again. However, there is a hidden issue: a handful of giant corporations (like Cargill, ADM, and Bunge) control up to 80% of the global grain and seed trade. These "big five" don't just trade; they have a finger in almost every part of the supply chain, from pesticides and transport to processing. Experts warn that these companies are increasingly acting as a "global casino," making immense profits through financial speculation on food prices. Development economists and researchers are calling for international regulation and transparency, arguing that global food security shouldn't depend on a few secretive multinationals without any reporting obligations. Read the full article here. (Follow The Money - In Dutch)