Creating vegan menus with hazelnut and hazelnut milk

Vegan nutrition is a dietary choice adopted by individuals who prefer to avoid animal products for ethical, environmental, and health reasons. The vegan diet promotes the consumption of plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds) while completely eliminating the use of animal-derived products. The primary aim of this research is to develop vegan alternatives by creating a menu enriched with plant-based products such as hazelnuts and hazelnut milk. Hazelnuts are a rich source of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, making them a valuable component for vegan individuals. Therefore, developing vegan menus that utilize hazelnut-based products, like hazelnut milk, hazelnut yogurt, and hazelnut cheese, will contribute to the literature. Inspired by Turkish and global cuisine, a 21-recipe vegan menu was developed for this research using hazelnut-based products. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed to collect and analyze data. As part of the study, the menus of nine vegan restaurants in Antalya were analyzed using content analysis. Based on the findings, menus were developed and then evaluated by 18 food and beverage teachers and instructors specializing in food and beverage, who work at Kumluca Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School. These developed menus were assessed for taste and appearance through sensory analysis, including related sub-dimensions, and calculations were made. Sensory analysis tests indicated that the majority of the recipes in the menu were well-received by panelists and received high ratings. The results of the research demonstrate that hazelnut-based products can effectively replace animal-based products. Keywords: Vegan nutrition, hazelnut, hazelnut milk, vegan menu, sensory analysis