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thefourthvine) wrote2008-09-28 07:13 pm
thefourthvine) wrote2008-09-28 07:13 pm
Help me, vegans!
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:
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:
- 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?
- What are really good vegan products?
- 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.
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1. i'm trying to think of what staples we have that aren't already in a vegetarian kitchen...
-nutritional yeast. i have always loved this, but for some it's an acquired taste and some people just don't like it. it's full of nutrients and you can add it to things to make them taste sort of cheesy. we sprikle it on salads, make cheeze sauce (http://www.pakupaku.info/quesadillas.shtml) out of it, add it to pastas and scrambled tofu. and one of our cats LOVES it.
-chick peas. srsly, i do not know how i would survive without them. they are so easy to whip up into a tasty dish. i also love them raw with salads and especially roasted. to roast - rinse and dry some canned chickpeas, then coat them with a little canola oil, a tablespoon or two of nutritional yeast and some salt. spread them out on a baking sheet and cook them at 400 for about 20 minutes. crunchy yummy snack! also, if you do all that and instead of cooking them, just mash them up, they make a good sandwich filling.
-"milk." i'm trying to eat less soy, so i have stopped using soy milk or soy creamer. but both used to be staples. then i switched to rice milk which i like too, but it's thinner and has a sort of ricey flavor. then i was told that oat or hemp milk is better for me. both of those are pretty good. i think oat's a little tastier, though it does have a little bit of graininess to it.
2.
-almond cheese is not completely vegan. but it's only casein that makes it that way and i'm not sure whether you need to avoid that. i started eating it when i had to avoid soy and felt like i had very few options. it's very tasty and handy as a protein-rich snack. there are some decent vegan cheeses, though the best (sheese, teese) are expensive and hard to find. if you want to know more, i can tell you more about them.
-we like snacking on tings and veggie booty and such.
-coconut milk-based yogurts and ice creams are new tasty treats from so delicious.
-rach loves chocolate soy pudding cups from zen soy.
3. i see in your comments lots of recommendations for veganomicon and vegan with a vengeance. those are both great cookbooks, but more for the person who is just dying to do some serious vegan cooking than maybe for the new mom who needs to feed herself in a timely fashion. i would recommend -
-the three sarah kramer books - How it all Vegan, Garden of Vegan and La Dolce Vegan. garden of vegan is probably the best but they're all full of very simple, quick, pretty healthful recipes.
-bryanna clark grogan's books, especially 20 Minutes 'Til Dinner. and she has a website - not very well organized - http://www.bryannaclarkgrogan.com/
as i said, i find it kind of hard to pick out info that might be helpful to you, but if you have any more specific questions i would be more than happy to help if i can.
<3
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