Going Vegan, Need a Little Help

Hi!
I am in the same boat- my hubby is a total carnivore, eats his steak rare and everything, I am a vegetarian. I recommend spaghetti and meatballs with Trader Joe's Meatless Meatballs. They come in a plastic bag in the freezer section. I have had many meat-eaters tell me that they liked this!!

I would not suggest going full vegan, but carnivegan or paleolithic (eating like our prehistoric ancestors ate--veggies and meat) And the best kind of meat would be chicken, fish and wild game if you want red meat.
Meat alternatives are highly processed and less healthy for you than real organic meat. However, cutting dairy alone can be one one of the more beneficial things you can do for your health, as well as eating more greens.

Hi Sarah,
Do you and your husband like Indian (Hindu)? Very nice and tasty vegan dishes!

If I lived in India, I'd go vegan :)
t

Sarah,
One great book is "This can't be tofu!" There are some terrific recipes for making bland tofu tasty. Also, a great meat alternative is seitan, which when you tear into pieces, marinate in barbecue & worstershire (sp?) sauce & saute (with lots of extra sauce) & serve on a bun is similar to a BBQ pork or beef sandwich. Good luck!

L.

I think it is fine if you want to be a vegan but there are some things little bodies need to grow at a healthy rate such as cheese and milk. You might consider veganism for you but vegetarian for your children. I have several friends who were vegans but had to go at least vegetarian with their children.

We've been mostly veggie for 10+ yrs and did the vegan thing for about a year or so...
The best meat alternative, especially for chicken, is Quorn. It is soy free...made of mushrooms and so delicious. I don't know much about the soy replacements for dairy, we didn't care for all that soy intake.
best wishes.

If you are choosing veganism in order to be healthier and eat whole foods, please take a look at each of the foods you're asking about. Soy cheeses and meat alternatives are highly processed "foods" that go through a lot before they get to your table. Soy should be fermented and I would encourage you to do a lot of research before feeding it to your family. You should also read the labels on milk alternatives. Perhaps you could make your own so they don't contain the preservatives, sweeteners and high heat processing. Article on soy:
http://www.mothering.com/articles/growing_child/food/soy_...

Someone suggested looking into Indian food. I would also look into how traditional societies approached this food lifestyle and be sure your kids are getting all they need from it. B12 is of particular concern, as you likely already know. Articles on B12:
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/b12.htm
http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/vitaminb12.html

I'm sure there are some really yummy indian dishes that might be a good intro for your family. If you have any ayurvedic restaurants or practitioners in your area, that might be a great place to get ideas. Good luck in your quest to feed your family the best.

I think you will feel better and your hair and skin will look better too. It also keeps your mind active, because you are learning about all kinds of new foods and new recipes! Good for you! Most ppl don't think about their diet much and eat and the consequences of their food choices on themselves or the planet. You don't need to push it on your kids or hubby, but I guarantee you that they will want some of what your having!

Most ppl that have not tried veganism know little about it. It isn't just eating soy and salads. It is really eating with a conscious purpose and it can be very delicious, nutritious, colorful and healthy.

So, I know quite a bit about veganism. Are you doing this for health reasons, environmental, spiritual or ethical or all of the above?

You may also email me @ ____@____.com. I am always getting new info and events too, where other vegans go. There is an event coming up with a vegan bodybuilder who is coming to town in 2 weeks. www.Robertcheeke.com is his website.

Oh my gosh, try Robin Robertson recipe books. Her website is www.robinrobertson.com I have made so many recipes of hers and every single one is deeelicious! She even has both a slow cooker and a quick cook recipe book. You do not need to be a vegan or a vegetarian to love her recipes! I have made soups and my husband has said they are better than any soups he has ever had and I have cooked all kinds of "regular" recipes too.

Try shop at really good stores like Whole foods, Trader Joes, Sprouts and try farmers markets too. Ask employees for help. You may find a lot of vegan employees once you start asking for help with brands, etc. Then they can give you more advice on brands of particular items as not all brands are created equal. They can also help you with all sorts of helpful advice.

When making homemade doughs like for your vegan pizza, try olive oil instead of butter. There are a lot of other tips too you will want to incorporate! I make the best chocolate cake and white frosting. You would never know it is vegan! It is so easy too.

Try this too: http://www.veganoutreach.org/whyvegan/ and also this one: http://www.vegan.org/ and http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/vegan.htm. Also, go to meatoutmondays.com to have a vegan recipe emailed to you every week.

BTW: There are a lot of really good vegan friendly restaurants in the valley with exciting and delicious menus.

You may want to look into "nutritional yeast". You can get it at Whole Foods, Sprouts and places like that. Sprinkle it on your salads, (your kid's too), your soups, and you can even make a vegan mac-n-chz out of it. Vegans use it to make cheese too. Anyway, it is packed with nutrients, namely B-12.

RE: My pediatrician recommended my kids still drink milk and eggs - a few servings per week. He did say they would be healthier eliminating meat from their diet, than their meat-eating counterparts. He said that vegan kids can do well but you do need to ensure they are getting enough calcium, protein and b-12. It is easier for me to supplement their diet with the milk and eggs.

Will you be shopping for vegan shoes, handbags and coats? I can help you out there too! :-)

Also, one tip. Become familiar with ingredients. Not all soy cheeses for example are vegan! Casein, for example, is a dairy product and it can be found in soy cheese.

Here's a vid you may enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYX18NGTwls

Hi Sarah,
I've been a vegetarian for over 10 years but never made the switch to vegan because it's just a bit too extreme for me. My husband is not a vegetarian and we have been able to adapt to this pretty well, although it's not always easy. We'll make a lot of recipes where I can make half real meat and half "fake" meat (like Boca or Morningstar brands - my favs). For instance we'll have tacos, I'll use the Boca substitute for ground meat and my husband will have ground turkey.

I do have a one year old son and while I am not giving him red meat I am giving him chicken and turkey. I have some degree of concern with giving him a lot of soy products at this point in his life. I agree with what another person posted that you do have to be careful to make sure that your children get the right nutrients if you choose to go totally vegan. Perhaps check with your pediatrician or just make sure you educate yourself on how to find the nutrients they need in non-animal sources.

As for books, I like Rachael Ray's vegetarian book (and they are easy meals to prepare), Moosewood cookbooks are good, or try the vegetarian/vegan sections of web sites like allrecipes.com, foodnetwork.com, and cookinglight.com. Good luck!

I am curious as to why you don't just go vegetarian since you still enjoy dairy products? It's very difficult to transition without the support of your family, and as a coworker of mine put it who happens to be vegan, "vegan" is synonymous with "pain in the rear" because you're forced to buy more expensive "alternative" foods and can't eat at many restaurants because they don't serve vegan friendly dishes.

Anyway, she does her shopping at Trader Joes and Frys, and if you are in Tucson there is a restaurant called Lovin Spoonfuls that only serves vegan dishes. She gets a lot of recipes online. Just google it! :) I don't think there's anything she's made that she didn't like.

First off, good luck! We are not vegan, but know a lot of people who are. A friend of my husband's is and his wife is not. Their relationship is just fine without one forcing their lifestyle on the other. Make sure you talk to your children's pediatrician as there may be other considerations when feeding them.
If you guys are milk drinkers, I highly suggest a soy/almond/etc maker. We bought ours because our kids can't have milk. It is called a SoyQuick. It was $175 and well worth the money. We make a wonderful mix of soy/almond milk, but there are many options. It tastes great and I use it to make bread (also make my own) and all other recipes (including "cream of" soups, pudding, cookies, etc).
I also make a wonderful almost vegan lasagna. There are 2 eggs in it which can be substituted and a homemade riccota "cheese" made out of tofu. Kids LOVE it and it is a lot healthier because it doesn't have all the fat from regular cheese (not to mention calories!). If you want that recipe, just write me.
My biggest advice though is to not push this on any family members. This is YOUR choice. If your husband wants to do it, fine. If not, don't force it. The reason why my husband's friend's wife doesn't do it is because the lack of meat made her very ill. They did all the rigth things by adding vitamins, etc, but she still got very sick.
Last thing to think about is that many vegans use highly processed food. Which is better for you? Natural meat/eggs or food additives, preservatives, etc? Just make sure you aren't adding all the sodium and chemicals that are added to vegan foods in lieu of what God gave us to eat.

Check out the book "Christian Cooks". I found Christian on the Create show on 8. I love her recipes.