Posted by chem on 2005-08-22 16:33:42
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I have actually had tremendous success adapting non-vegan recipes to vegan by simply using soymilk (chocolate works best for chocolate cake) egg replacer and a fancy vegan shortening whose name I forget but it is in the whole foods butter section and has a green box. For most baking things I actually think that making it up based on non-vagan recipes is totally the way to go rather than relying on pre-vegan choices. Its more fun too because there is the sense of adventure.
Posted by stella on 2007-06-18 17:39:50
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i'm a vegetarian, and i was vegan for 5 years. i don't eat very much dairy or eggs either.
the Post-Punk Kitchen vegan recipes are good, and most Asian vegetarian recipes are also vegan. since legumes are one of the main protein sources for vegans, you will want to make sure you are varying the veggies and grains you eat. it's an old wives tale that you have to eat complementary proteins at the same meal, but you do want to eat them daily.
Posted by gwen on 2007-07-30 15:33:09
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What helped my transition to vegan cooking was vegan food blogs. There is a whole universe of food bloggers with cooking wisdom to share. Here are some to start with:
Follow the links on all those pages to get more blogs, forums, restaurant reviews, cookbook reviews, etc. etc.
Also, the post punk kitchen has a pretty excellent forum if you''re looking to convert non-vegan recipes, for dinner ideas, or information on a specific ingrediant.
Posted by hodge on 2004-05-25 16:06:22
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i like http://www.vegweb.com because you can type in an ingredient that you have in the fridge and it'll give you veggie/vegan recipes that involve said ingredient. also, it is user-produced and people rate it/make commentary on how it can be improved. foodie democracy.
Posted by boheme-anne on 2006-05-09 21:15:29
Post Subject: Help with vegan.
Luck surprised me one day and I met up with a friend from college who was walking down my street. I was so excited because she lives less than a block away now.
I'd love to have her over for dinner but there is one catch...she's vegan. She explained all of it for me, but I find it difficult to not use dairy. I have no problem avoiding meat. I am really stumpted when it comes to soy. Can anyone reccomend some easy vegan recipes other than dry salad!?
I'm not tring to poke fun, I just have no clue what to make!
-Anners
Posted by craftfetish on 2006-05-10 09:18:13
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I have a copy of Garden of Vegan that has some good recipes and ideas in it. Also has a good list of substitution ideas for those of us used to cooking with dairy.
There is a recipe for oatmeal chocolate cookies (made with a banana instead of eggs) - sounds wierd, but they are to die for.
I liked it because it had good coverage for all meals and courses. As a non-vegan, I am not likely to buy too many vegan cookbooks. Had to make this one count.
I would pick a pasta or grain that you want to serve as your main course and then build up a fabulous sauce around it. Grilled veggies + balsamic viengar + pasta would make a delicious summer feast.
And you salad needn't be dry. You could whip up just about any vinaigrette and have it be vegan. This is probably the one course that you already ahev a bunch of inadvertently vegan recipes for, so go nuts.
I am kind of squeamish about soy meat/dairy-substitute products, so I usually try to make things that I would ordinarily buy that can be prepared in a vegan-friendly way.
Posted by Mathias on 2004-05-20 13:34:29
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I will never forget the day I learned just how powerful Oprah is.
In the lunchroom one day, all of my coworkers were buzzing about some kind of new diet that Oprah had discussed on her show the afternoon before. (I work for a social services agency, and my office is 98% women. Although I've been here over three years, I am still the youngest--most everyone is old enough to be my mother here. ) I'm serious, they were kind of rabid about it--they just wouldn't stop talking about heart-healthy this and low-cholesterol that and on and on. I asked if I could look at what they'd pulled off the show's website, and the diet plan was orchestrated by Dr. Dean Ornish, a doc who pushes vegan diets on his heart patients. And the recipes listed where nearly vegan recipes. (I don't think that bit of info was relayed to the audience, but I recognized Ornish immediately.) I was floored that these set-in-their-ways souther-cooking women would be so up in arms about a nearly vegan diet. Just floored.
I figure if Oprah ever ran for president she could easily be our first female and African-American pres in no time flat. She's just THAT influential.
I voted positively for Oprah. Although I'm not a super fan or anything, I think she's done far more positive for women than negative.
Posted by MonaMew on 2005-02-09 14:30:16
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One of my favorite cookbooks is American Vegetarian by Marilyn Diamond. Lots of healthy vegan recipes and a great basics cookbook. The almond milk and cashew cream are particularly yummy.
Posted by lefteyelazy on 2005-06-26 17:01:34
Post Subject: I'm Vegetarian Dumb
OK, I'm sure this is an odd dilemma for most of you out there, but for me -- well I need the omniscient minds of GetCrafty to give me some advice.
I've decided after 23 years of eating meat (about 2 of not really enjoying it) that I would like to be a vegetarian. I don't agree with the ways that animals are treated, and (with the exception of the occasional piece of chicken or some salmon) I don't really like meat all that much.
My diet, currently, consists mostly of salads, some various chickpea recipes, tofu stirfrys and scrambles. I would say I'm very healthy when it comes to eating and exercising, but I just returned home from a very frustrating grocery store trip.
My boyfriend has been on and off a vegetarian and a vegan through his life. Making this change to vegetarianism is easy for him, but for me, I felt like I was suddenly searching for answers in my grocery store purchases.
My question is: how do you get used to being a vegetarian? WHAT do you eat?
I know I will get sick of salads eventually, will crave some chicken tacos or succumb to a backyard BBQ burger. But I don't want to -- and I don't want to blow all of my money on pre-packaged fake burgers. I'm not rich! It's like I never ate much meat before, but actually declaring myself a "vegetarian" is difficult, too!
Any advice on how to make the transition easier? Do you take supplements to make up for the vitamins that you're missing from meat?
And more than anything, please give me your vegetarian/vegan recipes and make my grocery store jaunts EASIER!!! Words of encouragment welcome as well.
Posted by honeybee on 2004-08-17 09:10:33
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that vegan chocolate cake recipe rocks. i use it all the time, as it's better than most non-vegan recipes i've tried (former pastry chef here;)
my question: do you or any women you know actually like frank zappa's music? my theory is that it's a guy thing, as i have yet to meet a female fan. it just sounds like random noise to me.
Posted by Elf_Chick on 2004-04-18 10:09:28
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hey, thanks for the coldplay info. it's funny, i haven't listened to the radio in about 4 yrs (basically b/c our local stations suck), so i don't know much about the modern bands, and from their name i always assumed they were kinda hardcore, don't ask me why! so i'll check it out :)
as to vegan recipes, i know little about them, but you may want to browse at http://www.foodtv.com (Food Network's site); i believe they have some vegetarian shows and may cross over into some vegan stuff (and also there are recipes there that aren't from any specific show, just the "Food Network Kitchens" or whatever, so there may be some there...). Good luck! Maybe someone else can give you a more educated answer here.
