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

i'm casein intolerent...

[orwhoeveriam.livejournal.com]

soy ice cream is your friend.
all of the brands are pretty tasty, but purely decadent by turtle mountain is my favorite.
silk soy milk is the best, i think. it's definitely the creamiest.
chocolate mousse can be made with coconut milk.
thai sticky black rice with coconut milk is really tasty.

soy cheese is mostly not dairy free. casein (milk protein) is what makes cheese cheesy, so most soy cheeses are just lactose free.
cake frosting (like pillsbury or whatever in the little plastic things) is made entirely of chemicals, and usually dairy-free. dunno how you feel about poly-whatsits though.

sorry, don't have much non-dessert advice. being milk intolerant sucks, but once you get used to it, it's not as bad as you'd expect. i think it helps to just ignore milk, instead of trying to replace it, if that makes sense. like having a spinach and tomato sandwich instead of trying to create the perfect dairy free grilled cheese sandwich.