Tuesday, June 19, 2007

It's Not That Hard - Meal Log

If you are thinking about going vegan or vegetarian, you may be wondering if it is as easy as people say. The answer is yes. Being vegan is actually quite easy, and you can do it without needing to buy very many "specialty" or "novelty" food items. However, many pre-made vegan food items can be found in the "all natural" section of your local supermarket (two thumbs up to Shaws' Wild Harvest section!) Many co-operative markets also have vegan foods. These stores often have soy ice creams, soy 'mayonnaise', vegan burgers, Luna/Clif Bars, Odwalla products, vegan baking mixes, products for people with allergies (often vegan), and Ener-G egg replacer.

Vegans can eat a lot of foods you may already eat now. This includes pasta, fresh vegetables, stir-fries, rice, beans, crackers, berries, almost all baked goods (with egg replacers), curries, soups, stews, Indian/Thai/Ethnic dishes, and many other foods. Many foods can be easily made vegan with soy/rice milk and egg replacers.

There are also vegan equivalents to meat items, like Boca Nuggets, Veggie Burgers, Faux deli slices, Tofutti (soy ice creams, cream cheese, sour cream, pizza, etc). There are many more.

Being vegan doesn't require any extra time (besides asking where the natural section of your grocery is), and cooking healthy vegan meals is so easy, a 15year old like me can do it!

Want proof? Here's a sample menu for what I ate today (I made all of this by myself)

Breakfast / Time - 15 mins
Bisquick pancakes (w/ soymilk and Ener-G egg replacer)
Fresh strawberries and lingonberry jam, maple syrup
Grapefruit juice and chocolate soymilk

Lunch / Time - 10 mins
Portobella burger with ketchup, mustard, and Nayonaise (vegan mayo)
Onion, tomato, pickles, multi grain bread
Small romaine salad with croutons and garlic Italian dressing
Water

Dinner / Time - ? mins
TBA

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those are good tips. Great post actually!

vko said...

I love that you posted this- it's absolutely true: it takes no extra time to eat vegan.

Hope you are enjoying your summer & good luck with your move!

Jackie said...

Interesting post. Yes, it doesn't take that much effort to become Vegan.

herbivore said...

I have a tip for your lovely bisquick pancakes - use ener-g for 1 egg and soy yogurt for the other. They are soooo good. Its crazy. If I use ener-g for more than one egg it gets flat. :(

But anyway. Veganism is just as easy as Ominism, if not easier because you don't have to waste all that time worring about getting fat or dieing or sitting in the hospital.

Anonymous said...

I have kids with food allegies(dairy, eggs and nuts)

I use firm or extra firm tofu to substitue for eggs
you drain it then push it through a fine mesh seive or purree in blender

it gives much better texture than any other egg replacer I've tried

I use 1/4 cup per egg called for
works great in most cookies and cakes

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