Vegan food triumphs

menagerie mama

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If none of you mind, and because I don't have a lot of support on my decision to be a Vegan, and because I know many of you are Vegans or Vegetarians, AND because every time I find something Vegan that I can eat, I get so darn excited, I think I will post some of my favorite food findings here, as ideas for anyone standing in the Vegan section wondering if the food you're looking at will be good or not. Feel free to leave me any you enjoy, as well.

First, Vita-soy chocolate peppermint soy milk....YUM!!!!!! Warm this up and drink as hot chocolate, or drink cold. It's excellent!

Second, Vanilla Almond Breeze almond milk. It tastes like the milk that's at the bottom of your cereal bowl after eating a nutty cereal. YUM! It's great, just not as nutritious as soy milk. More sugar and less beneficial elements. But still yummy.

Third, Follow Your Heart, Earth Balance "butter" spread. It tastes JUST like butter. I even put it on popcorn and can't tell the difference. (I'm looking for their brand of "sour cream" and "cream cheese" but our stores don't seem to have them. They all have Tofutti, which, IMO, is
)

Funny story-last week I tried making mashed potatoes from a recipe online, and I know I asked a few of you too. So the recipe said to use soy milk and soy butter to blend in like you would normally. If you're not used to the taste of soy milk, which I'm still not, it tastes and smells funny. (I am trying different brands to find one I like best) It gave the potatoes a weird flavor and smell that I couldn't quite get past. That, and the nasty shiitake mushroom gravy, made for a bleak mashed potato future. BUT, I read somewhere that if you use Silk original coffee creamer in place of milk, that it would be good. It DOES smell and taste very less soy-like. And the vanilla flavored one is good in coffee! So, today I tried that. Paired with the Earth Balance butter, SUCCESS!!
I got some Hain brand vegetarian brown gravy in a packet to go with it, and they were wonderful.
The gravy wasn't perfect, but I am used to the packet gravies so it was as close to perfect as I need to get. Mashed potatoes are my all time favorite food, so the fact that I perfected them makes me very happy.


Fourth, Oreos and Pepperidge Farm turnovers are Vegan!

Who knew?

Fifth, Tofutti Cuties chocolate "ice cream" sandwiches are to die for.


Thanks for reading, hopefully I gave some ideas you can use to help with the lifestyle. Any of your suggestions are welcome too!
 

butzie

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Originally Posted by menagerie mama

If none of you mind, and because I don't have a lot of support on my decision to be a Vegan, and because I know many of you are Vegans or Vegetarians, AND because every time I find something Vegan that I can eat, I get so darn excited, I think I will post some of my favorite food findings here, as ideas for anyone standing in the Vegan section wondering if the food you're looking at will be good or not. Feel free to leave me any you enjoy, as well.

First, Vita-soy chocolate peppermint soy milk....YUM!!!!!! Warm this up and drink as hot chocolate, or drink cold. It's excellent!

Second, Vanilla Almond Breeze almond milk. It tastes like the milk that's at the bottom of your cereal bowl after eating a nutty cereal. YUM! It's great, just not as nutritious as soy milk. More sugar and less beneficial elements. But still yummy.

Third, Follow Your Heart, Earth Balance "butter" spread. It tastes JUST like butter. I even put it on popcorn and can't tell the difference. (I'm looking for their brand of "sour cream" and "cream cheese" but our stores don't seem to have them. They all have Tofutti, which, IMO, is
)

Funny story-last week I tried making mashed potatoes from a recipe online, and I know I asked a few of you too. So the recipe said to use soy milk and soy butter to blend in like you would normally. If you're not used to the taste of soy milk, which I'm still not, it tastes and smells funny. (I am trying different brands to find one I like best) It gave the potatoes a weird flavor and smell that I couldn't quite get past. That, and the nasty shiitake mushroom gravy, made for a bleak mashed potato future. BUT, I read somewhere that if you use Silk original coffee creamer in place of milk, that it would be good. It DOES smell and taste very less soy-like. And the vanilla flavored one is good in coffee! So, today I tried that. Paired with the Earth Balance butter, SUCCESS!!
I got some Hain brand vegetarian brown gravy in a packet to go with it, and they were wonderful.
The gravy wasn't perfect, but I am used to the packet gravies so it was as close to perfect as I need to get. Mashed potatoes are my all time favorite food, so the fact that I perfected them makes me very happy.


Fourth, Oreos and Pepperidge Farm turnovers are Vegan!

Who knew?

Fifth, Tofutti Cuties chocolate "ice cream" sandwiches are to die for.


Thanks for reading, hopefully I gave some ideas you can use to help with the lifestyle. Any of your suggestions are welcome too!
Well, the first thing that I can say is that Nabisco changed its recipe so that Oreos could be Kosher and not contain lard in the filling.

Secondly, I searched for the ingredients for Oreos which are:

Ingredients: SUGAR, ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), HIGH OLEIC CANOLA OIL AND/OR PALM OIL AND/OR CANOLA OIL, COCOA (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, BAKING SODA, CORNSTARCH, SALT, SOY LECITHIN (EMULSIFIER), VANILLIN-AN ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CHOCOLATE.

I thought that vegans liked all natural things and not all these ingredients are natural. Pretty sure it is processed white sugar and the list of the ingredients speak for themselves.

Well, this is probably an IMO post but in a nice way. I cook a veggie entree at least once per week. If I weren't married to DH the carnivore, I would probably eat vegetarian. I don't, however, want to eat vegan.

I also really read recipes to see how natural they are. If vegan is supposed to be healthier, why would you want all those artificial ingredients and refined sugar? Ye gods! My late father, who died when I was 14, and worked in a sugar refinery to process the sugar, is turning over in his grave!

Anyway, I am rambling. If you want to be vegan, fine. I would recommend that you start with being a healthy vegetarian and what natural products you should keep in your cupboards. My favorite book on this is "Super Natural Cooking" by Heidi Swanson. All of the recipes are vegetarian, some of the recipes are vegan, and none of them contain any artificial ingredients.

I applaud your commitment to eat only renewable foods. but I am not sure that HIGH OLEIC CANOLA OIL AND/OR PALM OIL AND/OR CANOLA OIL are in the spirt of vegan.

As I said, IMO.
 

mews2much

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I have had the peppermint vita soy before.
I bought it last year and its good.
They have a Egg Nog flavored also that is good.
Almond Breeze I have been drinking for years also.
You should try the Metro Water.
I drink Silk Soy Milk.
I hardly eat meat at all .
 
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menagerie mama

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I wasn't aware that Vegan meant only pure foods. In my mind, it means no food or products derived from animals. I went Vegan because of my views on the animal food industry, and better health happens to be a pleasant side affect. I don't over indulge in the foods I mentioned, those are just treats, as we all like to enjoy. Everything else I eat is very healthy. And I can't be a vegetarian. My moral views on the industry do not allow it. Thank you for your suggestions, though.
 
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menagerie mama

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Originally Posted by mews2much

I have had the peppermint vita soy before.
I bought it last year and its good.
They have a Egg Nog flavored also that is good.
Almond Breeze I have been drinking for years also.
You should try the Metro Water.
I drink Silk Soy Milk.
I hardly eat meat at all .
What is Metro Water?
 

pookieboy

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Yep, vegans only avoid all animal and animal by-products. It has nothing to do with a product being "pure". Perhaps the poster was refering to one being a naturalist?

Keep in mind......anything you buy that comes in a box, can or any kind of packaging is ALWAYS loaded with all kinds of chemicals and preservatives. Those foods are all highly processed and are probably all bad for us.

Note: have you looked at what the ingredients are for canned and dry catfood???
 

catmom2wires

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Yep, if you want to be a junk food vegan, potato chips and soda would still fit the bill. That being said, most veggies/vegans DO embrace a healthier lifestyle than the general population.

I am a lacto/ovo vegetarian. I do, however, indulge in junkie stuff on occasion although in the last months I make an effort to avoid high fructose corn syrup and for years have avoided food dyes/artificial flavorings as they send my daughter with ADHD into orbit.

Good luck with the vegan life. Don't forget to focus on good protein sources as you experiment with your favorite recipes!


Cally
 

whiteforest

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In my experience as a [former] vegan, try not to go overboard on meat and dairy replacements, like "cheeses", "sour cream", etc. They are really not very nutritious, and this is how a lot of vegans/vegetarians end up gaining weight and feeling fatigued, and other signs of eating improperly. When I first became vegan I used a lot of these supplementary foods, but I found it to be a bad idea, overall.
 
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menagerie mama

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Originally Posted by whiteforest

In my experience as a [former] vegan, try not to go overboard on meat and dairy replacements, like "cheeses", "sour cream", etc. They are really not very nutritious, and this is how a lot of vegans/vegetarians end up gaining weight and feeling fatigued, and other signs of eating improperly. When I first became vegan I used a lot of these supplementary foods, but I found it to be a bad idea, overall.
Being raised on a diet always consisting of these things, then going "cold turkey" -no pun- Vegan, is hard. Worth it, but hard. I just found these things to start me out, and as I go, I am learning more and more. I do eat plenty of nutritious things along with the not so nutritious occasional treats. Those things are just to help me transition faster. I plan to cut them out almost completely, once my taste buds and body become accustomed to this lifestyle. I didn't start out being Vegetarian, which would have been easier, but it wasn't an option for the reasons that I went Vegan. So these alternatives are helping, until I learn how to cook without them. Like I said, growing up we had all those fattening dairy products, so I am researching like crazy to find out how to work without them. I feel wonderful since my transition, so I must be doing something right.


Originally Posted by CatMom2Wires

Yep, if you want to be a junk food vegan, potato chips and soda would still fit the bill. That being said, most veggies/vegans DO embrace a healthier lifestyle than the general population.

I am a lacto/ovo vegetarian. I do, however, indulge in junkie stuff on occasion although in the last months I make an effort to avoid high fructose corn syrup and for years have avoided food dyes/artificial flavorings as they send my daughter with ADHD into orbit.

Good luck with the vegan life. Don't forget to focus on good protein sources as you experiment with your favorite recipes!


Cally
Thank you for your advice. I stay away from soda, too. I don't want to be a junk food Vegan. lol

Originally Posted by PookieBoy

Yep, vegans only avoid all animal and animal by-products. It has nothing to do with a product being "pure". Perhaps the poster was refering to one being a naturalist?

Keep in mind......anything you buy that comes in a box, can or any kind of packaging is ALWAYS loaded with all kinds of chemicals and preservatives. Those foods are all highly processed and are probably all bad for us.

Note: have you looked at what the ingredients are for canned and dry catfood???
Thank you. And I feed Nutro, at Sharky's recommendation
which has no by-products or fillers, but yes, is still made from animals...I won't take meat away from my animals. Would be nice to know of an animal friendly pet food distributor, though, if there is such a thing....

Originally Posted by mews2much

http://www.metromint.com/
I HAVE seen that, and wanted to try it! Thank you!


Originally Posted by SwampWitch

It's good that you can have treats with a clear conscious during the holiday season.
Did you try the vegetable broth in the mashed potatoes? I'll bet that's good, too.
Now that I have happily perfected my potatoes, I will try experimenting with the broth and also the horseradish that was suggested to me. I made a killer veggie chili last night and used the broth. I think it would be good in potatoes, too!
 

whiteforest

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Originally Posted by menagerie mama

Being raised on a diet always consisting of these things, then going "cold turkey" -no pun- Vegan, is hard. Worth it, but hard. I just found these things to start me out, and as I go, I am learning more and more. I do eat plenty of nutritious things along with the not so nutritious occasional treats. Those things are just to help me transition faster. I plan to cut them out almost completely, once my taste buds and body become accustomed to this lifestyle. I didn't start out being Vegetarian, which would have been easier, but it wasn't an option for the reasons that I went Vegan. So these alternatives are helping, until I learn how to cook without them. Like I said, growing up we had all those fattening dairy products, so I am researching like crazy to find out how to work without them. I feel wonderful since my transition, so I must be doing something right.
I know what you mean, I did the same thing when I started. I just wanted to point it out because I think there are a lot of people who don't think these things are just as bad as a diet of dairy cream cheese. I'm trying to remember what brand of vegan "cream cheese" I used to buy because it was really good. But also, if you need any advice on recipe supplements (eggs, oil, milk, etc.) feel free to PM me. I still cook a lot of vegan recipes.
 
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menagerie mama

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Originally Posted by whiteforest

I know what you mean, I did the same thing when I started. I just wanted to point it out because I think there are a lot of people who don't think these things are just as bad as a diet of dairy cream cheese. I'm trying to remember what brand of vegan "cream cheese" I used to buy because it was really good. But also, if you need any advice on recipe supplements (eggs, oil, milk, etc.) feel free to PM me. I still cook a lot of vegan recipes.
Thank you, I will probably do that. I appreciate any and all help!
 
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