I have been asked on several occasions....how did you guys start the transition to a vegan diet? why did you change your diet? How do you stick to it?
Well let me start off by saying I have faltered several times, but the idea here is small changes can get you going on the right path My hubby changed his diet cold turkey, some can do this but I wasn't one of them. In the beginning all I could think about is what I was giving up, but I never could see what I would gain by changing my diet. I have discovered quite a bit about what my body and digestive system doesn't like by removing the dairy and meat products. Lets just say things "moved" 100% better without meat and dairy in my diet and this alone was enough to keep me on the vegan path (for the most part). I mean we all have weak moments, so I cannot claim to be perfect. So here are my tips for getting started.
1. Buy a big vegan cookbook.
I started with 1,000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson and helped tremendously when trying to figure out things to cook for my family meals.
2. Find your neighborhood grocery store that stocks vegan products such as nutritional yeast, meat substitutes, vegan buttery spreads, vegan breads, etc.
For me this is Whole Foods, but many grocery stores have a health food section that stocks some of these items. I personally like one stop shopping, so I go to Whole Foods once a week to get what I need. They have a little of everything.
3. If cow's milk is a staple item in your diet, figure out which non-dairy milk you like best (rice, almond, coconut, hemp, etc. I think rice milk has one of the more "neutral" flavors if you are trying to transition your kids.
4. Think about some of the favorite foods that your family likes and see if there is a vegan version of the item or recipe. For example, you can still make your favorite spaghetti sauce with veggie burger crumbles and not have to give up spaghetti sauce and pasta. Or try a lentil bolognese and serve over spaghetti. The lentils offer a nice meaty texture to your sauce and you can toss in some other vegetables that you like. There are plenty of vegan recipes floating around online and in cookbooks. Search for vegan blogs online and browse different bloggers recipes. I have discovered some great recipes this way. I found a great vegan pancake recipe that we love (see below). Other typical foods that have vegan versions are sloppy joe's, waffles, and french toast.
5. Get your butter substitute. For me this was Earth Balance..I love this stuff!
Here are some other random things that might help and a couple good websites if you need some more inspiration and recipes. The PPK website even has some recipes for vegan versions of mac & "cheese", haven't tried one yet though cause mac and cheese wasn't a favorite of mine anyway.
In my search for a vegan pancake recipe for my husband, I discovered this recipe on a blog called AppleCrumbles.com. It was very easy to make and quite tasty. The hubby thought they were great and was very happy since pancakes were one of his favorite breakfast items before becoming a vegan. If you are serving more than 2 people, definitely double the batch because this only makes 8-10 pancakes.
Put the lentils in a small sauce pot and pour in 4 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until lentils are soft. Drain and set aside.
About 10 minutes before the lentils are done boiling, preheat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onion and pepper in the oil for about 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and saute a minute more. Add the cooked lentils, the chili powder, oregano and salt and mix. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Cook for about 10 minutes.
Fruit and Veggie Smoothie
This is my smoothie recipe that I make for breakfast or anytime of day. We use a 56 oz. blender. If your blender is smaller, everything may not fit so adjust amounts accordingly.
Chickpea and Vegetable Curry
I discovered this recipe in a book called 1,000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson. I thought it came together easily and the flavor was very good. I served it over brown rice for a very filling meal.
Well let me start off by saying I have faltered several times, but the idea here is small changes can get you going on the right path My hubby changed his diet cold turkey, some can do this but I wasn't one of them. In the beginning all I could think about is what I was giving up, but I never could see what I would gain by changing my diet. I have discovered quite a bit about what my body and digestive system doesn't like by removing the dairy and meat products. Lets just say things "moved" 100% better without meat and dairy in my diet and this alone was enough to keep me on the vegan path (for the most part). I mean we all have weak moments, so I cannot claim to be perfect. So here are my tips for getting started.
1. Buy a big vegan cookbook.
I started with 1,000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson and helped tremendously when trying to figure out things to cook for my family meals.
2. Find your neighborhood grocery store that stocks vegan products such as nutritional yeast, meat substitutes, vegan buttery spreads, vegan breads, etc.
For me this is Whole Foods, but many grocery stores have a health food section that stocks some of these items. I personally like one stop shopping, so I go to Whole Foods once a week to get what I need. They have a little of everything.
3. If cow's milk is a staple item in your diet, figure out which non-dairy milk you like best (rice, almond, coconut, hemp, etc. I think rice milk has one of the more "neutral" flavors if you are trying to transition your kids.
4. Think about some of the favorite foods that your family likes and see if there is a vegan version of the item or recipe. For example, you can still make your favorite spaghetti sauce with veggie burger crumbles and not have to give up spaghetti sauce and pasta. Or try a lentil bolognese and serve over spaghetti. The lentils offer a nice meaty texture to your sauce and you can toss in some other vegetables that you like. There are plenty of vegan recipes floating around online and in cookbooks. Search for vegan blogs online and browse different bloggers recipes. I have discovered some great recipes this way. I found a great vegan pancake recipe that we love (see below). Other typical foods that have vegan versions are sloppy joe's, waffles, and french toast.
5. Get your butter substitute. For me this was Earth Balance..I love this stuff!
Here are some other random things that might help and a couple good websites if you need some more inspiration and recipes. The PPK website even has some recipes for vegan versions of mac & "cheese", haven't tried one yet though cause mac and cheese wasn't a favorite of mine anyway.
If you are currently addicted to dairy Ice Cream:
Some common brands of vegan ice cream include: Soy Dream, Rice Dream, Whole Soy, Soy Delicious (which is now being marketed as So Delicious in some flavors), and Tofutti.
Here is the link to the milk ingredients/derivatives:
And below are a few recipes....
In my search for a vegan pancake recipe for my husband, I discovered this recipe on a blog called AppleCrumbles.com. It was very easy to make and quite tasty. The hubby thought they were great and was very happy since pancakes were one of his favorite breakfast items before becoming a vegan. If you are serving more than 2 people, definitely double the batch because this only makes 8-10 pancakes.
· 1 cup all purpose flour
· 3 tsp baking powder (2 tsp is acceptable if you baking powder is fresh)
· 1/2 tsp salt
· 3 TBS sugar
· 1 tsp vanilla (I used 3 tsp. for extra vanilla flavor)
· 1 egg replacer (I used 1 TBS Bob’s Red Mill flaxseed meal + 3 TBS Warm water) I mixed them together and let them set for 5 minutes before adding to the wet ingredients)
· 1 cup vanilla soy milk (almond milk in vanilla flavor works too)
· 2 TBS canola oil (avocado oil is great too)
Directions:
Mix wet ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Mix dry ingredients in a larger bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until smooth. Cover you batter with a damp dish towel when you are not using it. This will prevent the batter from absorbing to much air which causes flat, tough pancakes.
Drop about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto a medium preheated NON-STICK pan. (I used a griddle heated to about 425 degrees, but test your temp first with a test pancake)
Flip over when each pancake begins to bubble on top.
Serve with vegan buttery spread, berry compote, or maple syrup.
Note: 1-2 small mashed bananas can be added to the batter for a banana flavored pancake
Note: 1-2 small mashed bananas can be added to the batter for a banana flavored pancake
Snobby Joes
I personally haven't tried this one. The recipe I use uses veggie burger crumbles and bulgur wheat for the "meat". This version thinks its better than everyone because it contains no meat. And there’s no soy, either. Lentils are the perfect texture for vegetarian sloppy joes. (You could substitute veggie burger crumbles (2-3 cups) for the lentils if you want something that resembles meat. Look for them in the frozen foods section at your grocer.)
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked green lentils
4 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
1 green pepper, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon salt
8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
4 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
1 green pepper, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon salt
8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
4 to 6 kaiser rolls or sesame buns (optional – for serving)
Put the lentils in a small sauce pot and pour in 4 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until lentils are soft. Drain and set aside.
About 10 minutes before the lentils are done boiling, preheat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onion and pepper in the oil for about 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and saute a minute more. Add the cooked lentils, the chili powder, oregano and salt and mix. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the maple syrup and mustard and heat through.Turn the heat off and let sit for about 10 minutes, so that the flavors can meld, or go ahead and eat immediately if you can’t wait.
Red Lentil Thai Chilli (From http://www.theppk.com/)
Ingredients:
Olive oil (1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons, however much you feel like using)
1 large yellow onion, diced medium
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced medium
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 ½ lbs sweet potatoes cut into ¾ inch chunks
1 cup red lentils
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups vegetable broth
2 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 15 oz can lowfat coconut milk
28 oz can diced tomatoes
½ cup fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
Limes for garnish (optional)
1 large yellow onion, diced medium
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced medium
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 ½ lbs sweet potatoes cut into ¾ inch chunks
1 cup red lentils
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups vegetable broth
2 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 15 oz can lowfat coconut milk
28 oz can diced tomatoes
½ cup fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
Limes for garnish (optional)
Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Saute onions and pepper in oil with a pinch of salt, for 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and saute a minute more.
Add chili powder, sweet potatoes, lentils, salt and vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. When lentils are cooked and sweet potatoes are tender, add the remaining ingredients and heat through.
Taste for salt and seasoning, top with cilantro and lime and serve!
This is my smoothie recipe that I make for breakfast or anytime of day. We use a 56 oz. blender. If your blender is smaller, everything may not fit so adjust amounts accordingly.
Ingredients:
3 bananas
1 cup bag of frozen mixed berries
1 cup bag of frozen pineapple or mango chunks
1/2 cup up to 1 cup of kale, spinach, or collard greens (fresh or frozen)
16-oz. of liquid (we use coconut water, but you can experiment with other liquids)
1. Place bananas, frozen fruit, and greens in the blender first and followed by the coconut water.
2. Blend for about 3 - 5 minutes until the mix is to a favorable consistency, I like my smoothie more liquid than frozen.
Enjoy!
Chickpea and Vegetable Curry
I discovered this recipe in a book called 1,000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson. I thought it came together easily and the flavor was very good. I served it over brown rice for a very filling meal.
Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola or grapeseed oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon hot or mild curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 cup water
3 cups cooked or 2 (15.5-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed if canned
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 (4-ounce) can chopped mild or hot green chiles, drained
1 (13.5-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, potato, and garlic. Cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the ginger, curry powder, cumin and coriander and cook, uncovered, 1 minute longer. Add the water and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are soft, about 2o minutes.
3. Add the chickpeas, peas, chiles, coconut milk, raisins, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, uncovered, for about minutes longer to allow flavors to intensify and reduce the liquid. If a thicker sauce is desired, puree a small amount of the solids with an immersion blender or blend 1 teaspoon of cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of water and add to the saucepan, stirring to thicken. Serve immediately.
Notes: I used canola oil, canned chickpeas, mild curry powder, and hot green chiles for my ingredients.
Vegan Key Lime Pie
This pie was quite tasty, with a bold lime flavor and a rich texture like cheesecake. I can't remember which website we found this on but I am glad we discovered it. We opted to garnish the pie with fresh strawberries that I marinated in some raw sugar for about 4 hrs. All of the ingredients were readily available at Whole Foods Market and surely you could find them at several other high end grocery stores. Let me know what you think if you decide to try it.
Ingredients:
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Preheat the oven to 375°F. Blend the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, lime juice, lime zest, and cornstarch in a blender until smooth. Pour the mixture into the crust. Place the filled pie shell on a cookie sheet (to catch spills) and bake for 45 minutes. Let cool. Refrigerate overnight, then top with the sliced fruit for garnish and serve with the fresh marinated strawberries if you desire.
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