Vegan/Vegetarian Thread (discussion, recipes, laughs)

[violaine]

passionaria, thank you for sharing your recipes, and the wonderful photos. plantains are great, and i like to use them for empanadas. i love and really miss using/tasting cinnamon, but developed an allergy several years ago to vietnamese, as well as the oi. now i just avoid completely

here is the cheese i use for a lot of dishes, and a little history about it:

http://www.fundinguniverse.com/compa...y-History.html

recipe for vegan empanadas:

http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=17879.0

now, when i make plantain or sweet potato empanadas, i just bake the sweet potato or plantains for bit, then mash, add flour[s], egg replacer [use warm water to mix with the egg replacer powder], and a little earth balance. roll out, and stuff with peppers, cheese, et c.

[Passionaria]

Originally Posted by violaine

passionaria, thank you for sharing your recipes, and the wonderful photos. plantains are great, and i like to use them for empanadas. i love and really miss using/tasting cinnamon, but developed an allergy several years ago to vietnamese, as well as the oi. now i just avoid completely

here is the cheese i use for a lot of dishes, and a little history about it:

http://www.fundinguniverse.com/compa...y-History.html

recipe for vegan empanadas:

http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=17879.0

now, when i make plantain or sweet potato empanadas, i just bake the sweet potato or plantains for bit, then mash, add flour[s], egg replacer [use warm water to mix with the egg replacer powder], and a little earth balance. roll out, and stuff with peppers, cheese, et c.

MMMM I love Empanadas, thank you for sharing! I had never thought of using Plantains like this. My mouth is watering.

What brand of egg replacer do you use? Any tips? When I have tried them, it was disastrous. On a cooking show someone used date puree?

Pashi

[violaine]

passionaria,

i've used ener-g egg replacer forever. here is a link to the product:

http://www.ener-g.com/store/detail.a...=8&cat=8&id=97

and an article about food allergies:

http://www.ener-g.com/articles/Artic...spx?pageId=373

additional [older but good] misc info :

http://web.mit.edu/vsg/www/vsg/INFO/...Q_rec.food.veg

[Linus]

Wow. Been quiet on this thread. BTW, I did find this recipe today: http://www.noveleats.com/drinks/raw-...de-almond-milk

And the site itself is full of some awesome recipes: http://www.noveleats.com/

Given how much almond milk we drink (I use it on cereal and prefer it to soy milk) this seems like an easy alternative to buying milk in the store. Plus I get to control how sweet it is with this.

[Passionaria]

Originally Posted by violaine

passionaria,

i've used ener-g egg replacer forever. here is a link to the product:

http://www.ener-g.com/store/detail.a...=8&cat=8&id=97

and an article about food allergies:

http://www.ener-g.com/articles/Artic...spx?pageId=373

additional [older but good] misc info :

http://web.mit.edu/vsg/www/vsg/INFO/...Q_rec.food.veg

Thank you Sweetness for the Articles!! I will try the egg replacer. I have seen it in the HFS.

Originally Posted by Linus

Wow. Been quiet on this thread. BTW, I did find this recipe today: http://www.noveleats.com/drinks/raw-...de-almond-milk

And the site itself is full of some awesome recipes: http://www.noveleats.com/

Given how much almond milk we drink (I use it on cereal and prefer it to soy milk) this seems like an easy alternative to buying milk in the store. Plus I get to control how sweet it is with this.

Thanks Linus,
I really liked the Almond Milk recipe. I am going to make it soon. I also thought the Almond paste dip looked good. What do others do with the pulp? I used to make sesame milk, but toast the sesame seeds first instead of soaking, same process, with a touch of Cinnamon and honey. I drink Soy milk mostly, but am picky about the brand. I like rice and Almond milk but I like it thick, so many store bought brands don't excite me too much. Thanks for getting me inspired!



Many moons ago I used to make soy milk and tofu. Yeah, those days have come and gone......I still prefer tofu curdled with Nigari though, I like the taste.

[Medusa]

Hi all,
Would anyone mind talking about their reasons for becoming a vegetarian? If that's too political for here, I'll completely understand.
I am teetering close to the jumping off point and doing some serious considerations around it. I saw a cow truck this morning on my way to work and just burst out crying because the little baby calfs all looked terrified.
Are there foods you really missed?
Have you had any nutritional issues because of it?
Tips for converting to a non-meat diet?

Any input is so greatly appreciated...but again, my apologies if this is out of place here.
xo

[nycfem]

Hi, Medusa,

I don't think is out of place at all. It's usually the opposite. People don't want to know why we are vegetarian (or vegan). A lot of people who simply see someone eating vegetarian or asking if something is vegetarian have to make an aggressive joke about it!

I became a vegetarian when I was a junior in high school. There was a group at my school that exposed me to the ugliness of factory farming. Most meat doesn't see a good life. Animals are kept in tiny cages. They are taken from their mothers at birth. Chickens beaks are burned off so they don't peck each other to death out of the craziness that comes from being locked up without light in tight quarters that are full of shit. The killing is factory style so sometimes animals don't get fully killed and have a particularly grueling death. Animals within factory farming are fattened up and given injections so they can be quickly big and then killed. The reality of animals' lives in MOST farming is just an ethical nightmare.

When I became vegetarian, it was very hard. I have always loved "meat." I would have a little here and there for several years after I became vegetarian just because I missed the tastes. Then at some point I stopped that. At some point the cravings diminished, and I had enough separation from the whole indoctrination of eating animals without thinking or caring about their lives that I just felt a little sick (morally) at the thought. I do still crave meat sometimes but much, much less than I did during those first few years. My policy is to not eat "anything with a face" (i.e. meat, chicken, and fish). When someone is cooking for me, that's how I put it to keep it simple! I am not vegan, though I believe in it. However, I try to have soy dairy products a good amount of time. I think of it as harm reduction. I find that it is hard enough to be vegetarian (eating out, etc.), so I just am not at a point where I'm willing to commit to being 100% vegan.

As far as health concerns, I have generally not had any health problems. I have a lot of energy and rarely have any stomach problems. I have had occasional low-level anemia, usually if I've been being a "junk food vegetarian," and have easily been able to address it with vitamins and more care and attention to eating (healthy protein). In my day to day life all I take is a multivitamin. Being a vegetarian will likely improve any cholesterol issues btw, because cholesterol comes from animal fat.

Some vegetarians don't like fake meat and really are into vegetables. BB jokes that I'm a vegetarian who doesn't like vegetables. That's a bit of an exaggeration but often I like to make a fakin' bacon cheeseburger or a notdog (teehee) using frozen/microwaved fake meat. Some fake meat is terrible but I've been able to find brands that even impress BB, who is not a vetetarian. I am also not someone who is an elegant cook and still do well with cooking vegetarian. And again, even though BB is not vegetarian, hy eats my veggie cooking happily enough every night! I make simple things like whole grain spaghetti and defrosted wheatballs or stir-fries with seitan and veggies. There are a lot of delicious proteins available to vegetarians.

In converting to vegetarianism, I would recommend maybe going to a health food store and stocking your fridge with yummy veg things so that your cravings can be satisfied. These days there are barbecued drumsticks and basically every meaty thing in a veg form. This is not to say that you need to shop at a health food store. Regular grocery stores are where I do most of my shopping. I would suggest just going for it. There are so many nay-sayers when it comes to becoming a vegetarian and it's also scary for oneself. However, I think you'll quickly find that it is satisfying and easier than you think. I can't think of any food that I have not found a decent veg version of. Don't be hard on yourself if you have a slip. Like I said, that happened to me over a few years. It's all about harm reduction, though, and not a diet or a competition.

Feel free to check in on the thread anytime. It's great to have someone interested and caring about the animals. There's a saying, ""If slaughterhouses had windows, everyone would be a vegetarian." I think that this sums it up. Over the years I have read and watched movies and feel more and more happy with my decision not to partake in eating animals that have lived a terrible life with drawn out cruelty. But be prepared; most people don't want to look at what they are doing when they choose to eat meat in our society. In order to keep themselves from thinking, they need to strike out at vegetarians with the same old jokes and faulty logic that doesn't take into account the simple truth of what you described with that calf.

Originally Posted by Medusa

Hi all,
Would anyone mind talking about their reasons for becoming a vegetarian? If that's too political for here, I'll completely understand.
I am teetering close to the jumping off point and doing some serious considerations around it. I saw a cow truck this morning on my way to work and just burst out crying because the little baby calfs all looked terrified.
Are there foods you really missed?
Have you had any nutritional issues because of it?
Tips for converting to a non-meat diet?

Any input is so greatly appreciated...but again, my apologies if this is out of place here.
xo

[Gemme]

I'm not a vegetarian, but I often eat vegetarian, if that makes sense. Jennifer, your explanation about your journey and the information you have is wonderful. Thank you. If I were to take that step, I'm definitely coming to you for more suggestions.

[nycfem]

That makes a lot of sense. I think that too often there is a polarization between vegetarians and non-vegetarians, like we are opposing teams! I'm not "against meat." Really, if the meat in most grocery stores came from animals that lived real "farm" lives instead of a quality of life akin to slavery or what the victims in WWII went thru, then I would not feel the way I do. I am disgusted by PETA's hateful approach to putting the word out. I like more thoughtful, down-to-earth explorations of vegetarianism and eating meat such as the recent movie, Food Inc., and the recent book that gained a wide popularity, Jonathan Safran Foer's "Eating Animals," both of which I recommend in consideration of the ethical and environmental problems with eating most meat in today's society.

Originally Posted by Gemme

I'm not a vegetarian, but I often eat vegetarian, if that makes sense. Jennifer, your explanation about your journey and the information you have is wonderful. Thank you. If I were to take that step, I'm definitely coming to you for more suggestions.

[Medusa]

Originally Posted by nycfembbw

That makes a lot of sense. I think that too often there is a polarization between vegetarians and non-vegetarians, like we are opposing teams! I'm not "against meat." Really, if the meat in most grocery stores came from animals that lived real "farm" lives instead of a quality of life akin to slavery or what the victims in WWII went thru, then I would not feel the way I do. I am disgusted by PETA's hateful approach to putting the word out. I like more thoughtful, down-to-earth explorations of vegetarianism and eating meat such as the recent movie, Food Inc., and the recent book that gained a wide popularity, Jonathan Safran Foer's "Eating Animals," both of which I recommend in consideration of the ethical and environmental problems with eating most meat in today's society.

OMG! Jack just watched "Food Inc." on Netflix and has been demanding I watch it for several days now

Yeah, I am highly turned off my the aggressive militancy of PETA and think that I would probably be ok with eating eggs that were free-range or plopped into a nice nest in someone's backyard. I think that where I start to get a little bit sensitive is seeing hundreds of chickens crammed into trucks and hundreds of pigs crammed into trucks. The wide-eyed stares of the baby calves this morning really bothered me too. But then again, I am bothered when I see horses who appear to be upset being transported in trailers down the highway.

I have a good friend who is a vegetarian and she once said to me "Imagine eating Gracie...that's why I don't eat meat", and that pretty much makes sense. We had a pet cow when I was growing up and she had a huge personality: would come when she was called and could be ridden like a horse. That level of intelligence tells me that animals can probably feel fear...and I don't want anything to do with it being on my hands.


***EDited to add*** --Has anyone seen the HBO movie on Temple Grandin? She designed a more humane cattle chute for cattle going to slaughter. One of her most famous lines from the movie, "Life is cruel but WE don't have to be".

[Glenn]

Avocadoes are a great substitute for meat. Ghandi was a strict vegan who ate only Unfertilized eggs. My breakfast recipe is: ground almonds in a glass of orange juice.

[nycfem]

I like to have either instant oatmeal or 0% fat plain Greek yogurt (lower carb) with cinnamon, fresh fruit, flax seed, ground walnuts, and unsweetened plain soymilk (if it's the oatmeal choice) and whole grain kamut puffs (if it's the yogurt choice).

I'm also very fond of avocados. I like them on veggie burgers or with hummus in sandwiches or in salads. And, I love sushi made with avocado and brown rice.

Originally Posted by popcorninthesofa

Avocadoes are a great substitute for meat. Ghandi was a strict vegan who ate only Unfertilized eggs. My breakfast recipe is: ground almonds in a glass of orange juice.

[Bad_boi]

I'm not veg or vegan but- Amy's frozen food is and it is amazingly yummy.

Just thought I'd share :3

[nycfem]

Interview w/ Jonathan Safran Foer

http://www.good.is/post/food-fight1/...=Yahoo%21+Mail

[2myladyblue]

Blue's Breakfast Bar (B3)
2 bananas
2 cups of oats
3 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Combine & bake at 350 for 10 min.


~LadyBlue

[2myladyblue]

Tofu-Salad (for Sandwiches)
(I usually just mix up my own blend of whatever I have on hand, but for those that want an actual recipe....)

1/2 lb. soft tofu
3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp. sweetener of choice
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 lb. firm tofu
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrot, finely grated
1/2 cup cucumber, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

In a blender or food processor, blend 1/2 lb. soft tofu, vinegar, sweetener, onion powder, turmeric, salt, and garlic powder until smooth.

Crumble 1/2 lb. firm tofu into a bowl. Mix in th ecelery, carrot, cucumber, onion, and parsley. Stir in the blended tofu mixture, and serve on your favourite bread.

(Ok, that's all just WAY too complicated...I just crumble firm tofu, chop some celery, maybe a little onion, black olives ('cause I love 'em!), some mayo, a touch of relish, garlic, turmeric, pepper...whatever....YUM!!!)


~LadyBlue

[nycfem]

Recently I made a similar recipe that came out yummy:

PEACH CRUMBLE

lotsa very ripe chopped peaches, soy or almond milk (small amount), apple sauce (small amount), lotsa Kashi granola, cinnamon

mix

bake

eat

Originally Posted by 2myladyblue

Blue's Breakfast Bar (B3)
2 bananas
2 cups of oats
3 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Combine & bake at 350 for 10 min.


~LadyBlue

[2myladyblue]

TVP Helper

Combine & store in an air-tight jar or plastic bag:

1 1/2 c elbow macaroni
1 c dry Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP) granules
3 Tbsp dried, minced onion
2 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt

To prepare:

Pour one 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes with juice into a large skillet or saucepan.
Add 2 c water & bring to a boil.
Add TVP/macaroni mix

Simmer, covered for 15 min. or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Add more water if necessary.

*Option* Add 1 c frozen peas during last 5 min. of cooking


~LadyBlue

[rawk]

Vegan reporting for duty! Been vegan before people were really calling it that...early 90s. had my lapses; but it's mostly for health as I am still a leather-wearer. I try to buy all my leather second-hand, though.

Nutritional yeast is my favorite single thing in the entire world.

[2myladyblue]

Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) is a high-fibre, high-protein meat substitute made from soy flour and available in a selection of flavoured and unflavoured varieties, as well as different sizes (large chunks to small flakes).

TVP has a similar texture to ground meat when cooked and works well in dishes sich as casseroles, pasta sauces, soups & chilis. TVP absorbs spices and flavourings well, much like tofu, so it is an extremely versatile staple. Try adding a half cup of TVP while cooking, or saute rehydrated TVP with diced tomatoes, onion & chili powder for an easy taco filling.

*Because TVP is a dehydrated product, it needs to be reconstituted in hot water for about ten minutes or in the cooking process before being eaten.
Reconstitute TVP with boiling water in equal amounts and allow to sit about 10 minutes.

*Note* 1/2 c dry TVP = 1 lb. hamburger
(after reconstitution)


~LadyBlue