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Just maybe...

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Hundovir
Posts: 806
Joined: June 21st, 2009, 3:23 pm

Just maybe...

#1 Post by Hundovir » December 27th, 2009, 12:25 pm

Now just suppose that a life-long omnivore were beginning to think it might be about time to stop eating meat (say, as a result of seeing and reading PETA's "The Myth of Humane Slaughter" report.)

Do you have any advice?
Good recipe sites?
Staple ingredients?
Something that might provide the "meatiness" of meat? (Am I talking about the Japanese idea of "umami" here?)
What are milk & other dairy substitutes really like?

N.B. I'm already familiar with tofu, miso (which is definitely a "umami" ingredient!) and things like that, and enjoy cooking Chinese/Japanese style quite often - stir fries etc.

All responses gratefully received.

AliLouise
Posts: 7
Joined: May 20th, 2009, 9:42 pm

Re: Just maybe...

#2 Post by AliLouise » December 27th, 2009, 1:03 pm

The Viva website is informative and further illustrates reasons to go veggie/vegan.
I like Linda McCartneys range of foods, had her nutroast for Christmas dinner, all 11 of us who were veggie loved it. Her sausages are great too. I haven't eaten meat for 20 years though so can't remember what it tastes like and apparently your taste buds change with your diet.
I have soya milk in tea and coffee ( put the milk in before the hot water with the latter or it curdles). This is an acquired taste but there are sweetened versions which might resemble cows milk more. Some people like rice milk which is sweeter but very thin in texture.
I don't like the texture or taste of vegan cheeses but they are just about bearable with cooked pasta and sauce in my opinion.
I can't recommend vegan recipe sites as I'm a lazy cook, I eat endless tofu and vegetable stir fries and lots of raw food in simple form.
Hope this is a bit of help,
Happy New Year.

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getreal
Posts: 4354
Joined: November 20th, 2008, 5:40 pm

Re: Just maybe...

#3 Post by getreal » December 27th, 2009, 1:53 pm

Hundovir, you may want to check out the Uncaged website.

I think these were the folk who led the campeign to get rid of battery cages for poultry and I see they are campaigning against the Herbal Essences range of hair care as they are tested on animals. In my ignorance, I thought all UK cosmetics/beauty products were no longer tested on animals.
"It's hard to put a leash on a dog once you've put a crown on his head"-Tyrion Lannister.

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Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: Just maybe...

#4 Post by Alan H » December 27th, 2009, 2:58 pm

Milk and cheese are the reasons I'm not a vegan! I love cheese just a bit too much.

Take it one step at a time and give your body time to adjust and you time to explore new foods and recipes. Do some reading up about veggie nutrition, but don't be too obsessed with it. I've been veggie for 24 years and now rarely bother about whether I've had the right amount of vitamin Z or whatever that day. Just have a varied diet.
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

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Emma Woolgatherer
Posts: 2976
Joined: February 27th, 2008, 12:17 pm

Re: Just maybe...

#5 Post by Emma Woolgatherer » December 29th, 2009, 1:05 am

Hundovir wrote:Do you have any advice?
Good recipe sites?
Staple ingredients?
Something that might provide the "meatiness" of meat? (Am I talking about the Japanese idea of "umami" here?)
What are milk & other dairy substitutes really like?

N.B. I'm already familiar with tofu, miso (which is definitely a "umami" ingredient!) and things like that, and enjoy cooking Chinese/Japanese style quite often - stir fries etc.
Have you tried tempeh? Very good in stir fries, and does have a flavour of its own, which might be described as meaty when enhanced with soy sauce. The texture isn't meaty, but it's ... interesting. (I like the one that comes in a cylinder, rather than a block. Can't remember the brand.) I'd also recommend a brand of smoked tofu [---][/---] Viana [---][/---] that's particularly tasty and very firm. The only dairy substitute I use regularly is soya yoghurt (Alpro), which seems fine to me. My partner, who is not vegan, is happy to use it too. As for staple ingredients, I'd say: Marigold vegan bouillon powder and tahini (Sunita organic light has the best flavour, in my view). Even if you continue to eat dairy products, it's a good idea not to rely on them too much, so it helps to find ways of making dishes creamy. Tahini, peanut butter and creamed coconut all give creaminess as well as flavour. I'd be a very bored vegan without them.

Emma

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