Help me, vegans!

[thefourthvine]

Because of my baby's suspected dairy allergy, I have joined the ranks of the more-or-less vegan. (I can actually still eat eggs, but they aren't a huge part of my diet anyway.) And, see, I've been a vegetarian since I was ten. I know how to be a vegetarian! It doesn't require thought or effort! Whereas this veganism thing is very new and very, very hard.

Normally I'd just hit Google and research the shit out of this. But, well, I have a four-month-old baby. I don't have time to make out with Google the way I used to. So I am hoping to use the friends list shortcut - that there are vegans on my friends list who might have advice for me. Or, I guess, people on my friends list who aren't vegan but just love to Google.

Basically, here's what I need to know:

1. What are the basics of a vegan pantry? What are the special things that vegans keep around all the time, that make cooking or meals easier?
   
   
2. What are really good vegan products?
   
   
3. What are some good vegan recipes? Right now I'm relying much too heavily on fake meat, and that is not how I like to cook or eat. At least, not this much. I might as well be a carnivore! So - recipes? I especially need ones for balanced meals that are super-fast or that I can make in a crockpot. Suggestions of cookbooks featuring these things would also be very welcome.

Help? Please? Anyone? I will take links or comments or just supportive pats. I am experiencing involuntary dietary change and it's very scary!

Comments

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

I suspect this is something you already know well, but legumes are your best friend. I tend to keep cans of 5-8 different kinds of beans on hand. Yes, they're high in sodium, but rinsing them well gets rid of about half of that, and I have a hard time find the time to soak and cook beans. Wild rice, couscous, and quinoa are are all adaptable pulses. Quinoa is relatively high in protein, and has a balanced amino acid profile. I know a lot of people who like/tolerate spelt and amaranth, but I've never had them. Amaranth has a pretty complete a.a. profile as well.

For cooking and flavour, I like to keep salsas, chutneys, various curry pastes, sundried tomatoes, olives, capers, ground flax seeds (as an egg substitute (http://www.recipezaar.com/104832)), roasted red peppers, concentrated frozen orange juice (a little goes a long way), lemon and lime juice, different vinegars, infused oils, etc.

For snacking, I like pumpkin seeds, soy nuts, dried fruit, rice cakes (especially sundried tomato ones, yum), various flavours of unsweetened apple sauce, dried wasabi peas, popcorn, Kashi cereal or granola bars,

You can make a pretty good curry by replacing milk or cream with coconut milk. They sell 'light' but if you put the full-fat in the fridge for a while, the fat solidifies at the top. This (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/mangocurry_5073.shtml) looks fairly similar to my mango curry sauce recipe, which has gone missing. Curries by their very nature lend well to vegan cooking -- potato and cauliflower or chickpea are my favourite. Lentil patties can be interesting -- I usually use a recipe for salmon cakes (http://southernfood.about.com/od/salmonrecipes/r/bln544.htm) but sub in lentils for fish and olive oil for butter, and add curry powder or cayenne pepper.

B-complex and calcium are more difficult to get with a vegan diet, so supplements aren't a bad idea.

Actual recipes to follow.

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

First off, my recipes tend to be a little vague, so I apologize. I'm more an approximater than a cook, but these are fairly close to what I use.

'Greek' Salad
1/2 Cucumber
2 Tomatoes
1 Red or green pepper (or half of each)
1/2 cup pitted sliced olives
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1-2 cups cooked couscous
Dressing: Olive oil, garlic, oregano, pepper, vinegar, to taste.

Chop vegetables. Combine all ingredients except for couscous. Add couscous when ready to serve.

Lentil salad
1 can lentils
1/2 cucumber
1 pepper
1 tomato
Dressing: Vinegar, crushed chilis and/or cayenne pepper and/or hot sauce, lemon juice, sprinkle of brown sugar, Italian spices

Chop vegetables, combine with dressing, and chill overnight. Time: 10 minutes.

Cold Rice Salad with Dill
1 cup wild rice blend
1 lime (rind and juice)
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 c broccoli
1/2 c snow peas
1 yellow pepper
1 bunch green onions
Dill

Cook rice with lime rind. Mix lime juice, oil, and soy sauce, then pour over rice and leave to cool. Steam vegetables and refresh under cooling water. Mix with rice and add dill.

Ratatouille
1 large onion
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 large eggplant
1 large zucchini
6-7 tomatoes
1 tin tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
5 cloves garlic
1 tsp herbes de province
1/2 tsp oregano

Saute onions in olive oil. Chop and saute peppers, eggplant, zucchini. When brown, add tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings. Simmer until desired consistency is reached. Serve with rice, pasta, or couscous. Note: It's not traditional, but you can add chickpeas to up the protein content.

Vaguely Asian Cold Noodle Salad
250 - 300 g of whole wheat spaghettini/spaghetti/linguine or buckwheat noodles, whatever you'd like
1 sweet pepper (slivered)
1 large stalk of celery (slivered)
2 large carrots (grated)

Sauce:
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1-2 tbsp sesame oil (or olive oil plus 2 tbsp of sesame seeds)
1/3 cup cilantro
1/2 cup of the pasta water to stretch the sauce

Cook pasta as directed, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water to stretch the sauce.

Combine the sauce ingredients in the blender. So good, so easy to transport.

Pumpkin Bread
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3 cups all-purpose flour

Note: I make this in my bread maker, so I'm not sure how long you'd cook it for in an oven. Until it looks ready? I kind of fail at cooking.

Cherry's Honey/Oat/Apricot/Raisin Bread
1 1/4 cup water
2 tbsp oil
3 tbsp honey
1 c unbleached white flour
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/3 c oats
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp yeast
3/4 c dried fruit (apricots, golden raisins, mango, etc.)
1/4 c chopped walnuts, if desired

Another breadmaker recipe. That thing is one of my best purchases.

[vass]

If you want to be strict about it, honey isn't vegan.

Not that it matters if you're doing it for health reasons, I'm just pointing it out.

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

I'm aware, but as she's still eating eggs, I thought honey would probably get a pass as well. *G*