Welcome to the Vegan OT, a thread for vegans and sympathizers. Whether it’s to help build a balanced diet, share recipes, discuss Vegan friendly places - This is the place!
Q. So wait, what is Veganism?
A. Veganism is a practice and philosophy, that mainly advocates abstaining from animal products. Practically, this usually means a no eggs, no milk, no meat, poultry or seafood diet. This usually includes no honey, no gelatin, nor many other components that comes from animal exploitation. Veganism many times includes more than just a diet - Be it abstaining from leather, silk, animal-tested products etc.
Q. Do you even have anything left to eat??
A. Uhhh… Yes? Do you seriously just east meat and cheese all day? Get checked dude.
Anyway, with vegetables, fruits, grains, fungi, nuts… Really, most of what anyone eats is vegan anyway. Many dishes are traditionally vegan, and most other are rather easy to veganize.
Q. That can’t be healthy
A. Veganism is considered healthy for all ages and all stages of life (including pregnancy, lactation, while sick etc.) As with all diets - It needs to be balanced in order to provide all that your body needs. B12 is the biggest risk - as it is produced by bacteria not found in plants, and it is usually recommended for vegans (and vegetarians) to take supplements or B12 reinforced food.
Q. but PROTEIN
A. Actually, there’s protein a-plenty in plant food; nut butters, qinoa, soy and many more are great sources of protein.
Q. Alright I guess… But, still, WHY??
A. There are several reasons why one might choose a Vegan lifestyle or diet:
1) Ethical reasons. The animal product industry is exploitative and cruel to animals by nature. Even if one is fine with the idea of eating the meat of other sentient animals, the industrialization of the meat and animal product industries made many animals little more than commodity, and are treated as such as corporations try and maximize profits.
2) Environmental reasons. Livestock farming is environmentally unsustainable. Livestock produce accounts for large parts of air pollution in the world, more than all transportation vehicles combined.
3) Health reasons. Some people go vegan to cut on fat, cholesterol and blood pressure.
Milks
There are many non-dairy milks available for vegans, each with their own benefits and downsides.
Egg Replacers
No eggs may sound like a problem when it comes to baking, but there are many many ways available to emulate their texture.
(Credit for the recipes and pics goes to @smadar bar yochai)
(pic from ohsheglows.com)
So, what is a must in your vegan kitchen? (All my opinions, obviously)
Tahini is basically a must for every vegan. Not only is it incredibly nutritious, its thick texture makes it useful as an egg replacement in many dishes.
Tofu and Seitan are great replacements for the texture of various meats. Both are not that healthy in large amounts, but are still so good.
Nuts are very important for a balanced vegan diet. High fat nuts such as Macadamia and Cashews can be made into cheese and cream, while most others can be made into milks, spreads or just eaten as is.
Legumes: I always keep a large selection in my pantry - be them beans, lentils or whatever. Black lentils deserve a special mention.
Cereals: I always try and keep some bulgur, quinoa (which is high in protein and gluten-free and all-around god food) and couscous. I try to avoid rice, but whole rice can be good to have around.
Flours: Potato flour, Gram flour and cornflour are all very useful in the vegan kitchen. They can be used for anything from making vegan patties to vegan omelettes. Other flours such as Quinoa, lentils and Tapioca can also be useful for various recipes.
Nutritional Yeast can be used to produce an amazing cheese-like taste, and is also very nutritional, as the name suggests.
Oils: Coconut oil can be a great butter replacement, it’s very very fatty but even a small amount can add a divine taste. Olive oil is also very useful.
Sweetners: Rub is a great honey replacement, as is maple and Agave syrup. Molasses is also a great source of iron.
Snacks: Some snacks are surprisingly vegan! Oreos (check the box, depending on your location this may vary), Ritz and Pillsbury Crescent Rolls are all vegan. I also like to keep some peanut butter and Lotus spread around. Oh yeah, Lotus spread and crackers are both vegan as well.
Recommended blogs and sites:
Post Punk Kitchen
Oh She Glows
Veganyumyum
The Vegan Society
In Vegetables We Trust
