I’ve been fairly open minded about all this since this thread began. I’m always keen to give new things a go and it has got me thinking a bit more about things I don’t generally give any thought to.
So this thread has definitely helped make me more educated (even avoiding all of Anna’s link spamming).
I’ve also learned though that:
1 - A vegan diet does not automatically mean a healthier diet. Indeed, it probably leads you more down the processed food line with the big expansion of ready meal availability
2. It’s not for me. There’s just too many hits. I’m comfortably getting by without meat at the mo and only had fish once in nine days. But add in the eggs, dairy, cheese, honey etc and it’s just too much hits for me to religiously maintain.
I’m fairly sure I’ll return to meat in Feb, but it has made me see it’s easier to get by without it than I thought it would be
Just my view.
I have to agree.
I will complete January, but it has told me one thing, I am not likely to ever cold turkey my way to a completely plant based diet. Cheese is the biggest challenge. I could certainly go to 90% vegetarian though. Let me have my real mayo, cheese, whey protein and eggs. Then I'll have just 1-2 meat meals a month.
I think that's kind of the point in veganuary though, those with a more measured view realise that if people come out of the month thinking more about what they eat, where it comes from and the impact it has on the environment then it's job done.
I'll not be giving up all animal products, but am already giving serious thought to stopping using the minimal cow's milk I currently use, as well as cutting meat consumption back to meals out or specific treats where I'm confident I'm getting the best I can.
That being said, it's a week in, so let's see. Be interested in seeing how views change week on week.
Been a veggie for 11 years, health reasons gradually superseded by animal welfare through education.
Best veggie foods I have eaten include;
1. Vivera steak. Didnt even like steak before and this may not taste like it but i love the flavour. 2. Quorn bacon - all the flavour without the gristle. 3. Quorn "best of british" sausages. More juicy than the standard ones and go great with a fry up. 4. Co-Op "incredible burgers". Bought as on offer once, always had since. Genuinely lovely. 5. Fry's smoked hot dogs. Fantastic in a roll with onions. 6. Quorn Vegan Hot n Spicy burgers.
There are loads more but above come to mind straight away.
Hope above helps for those who don't like taste/texture/look of new things they are trying.
I’ve been fairly open minded about all this since this thread began. I’m always keen to give new things a go and it has got me thinking a bit more about things I don’t generally give any thought to.
So this thread has definitely helped make me more educated (even avoiding all of Anna’s link spamming).
I’ve also learned though that:
1 - A vegan diet does not automatically mean a healthier diet. Indeed, it probably leads you more down the processed food line with the big expansion of ready meal availability
2. It’s not for me. There’s just too many hits. I’m comfortably getting by without meat at the mo and only had fish once in nine days. But add in the eggs, dairy, cheese, honey etc and it’s just too much hits for me to religiously maintain.
I’m fairly sure I’ll return to meat in Feb, but it has made me see it’s easier to get by without it than I thought it would be
Just my view.
I have to agree.
I will complete January, but it has told me one thing, I am not likely to ever cold turkey my way to a completely plant based diet. Cheese is the biggest challenge. I could certainly go to 90% vegetarian though. Let me have my real mayo, cheese, whey protein and eggs. Then I'll have just 1-2 meat meals a month.
The Hellman’s vegan mayo is really nice and I wasn’t a fan of normal mayo back in the day.
Have to add add my name to the list of Vivera kebab, it really comes close to the meat equivalent. Stick it in a pitta with salad and a healthy squirt of sriracha sauce and you’ll be hard pressed to tell the difference. It was a godsend when that came out because the only meat I’ve ever really craved since I went veggie in ‘97 is kebab meat.
As for sausages the best I’ve found are by a company called Naked Glory. They cook like normal sausages and the taste and texture is spot on. I’m fairly confident they’d fool most carnivores, including one of my cats!
Worried what you’d spread on your crumpets if you gave up dairy and ditched butter? Well worry not for this is the dogs of vegan butter. My daughter, who isn’t veggie, says it’s better than Anchor. Get mine from Sainsbury’s.
I’ve been fairly open minded about all this since this thread began. I’m always keen to give new things a go and it has got me thinking a bit more about things I don’t generally give any thought to.
So this thread has definitely helped make me more educated (even avoiding all of Anna’s link spamming).
I’ve also learned though that:
1 - A vegan diet does not automatically mean a healthier diet. Indeed, it probably leads you more down the processed food line with the big expansion of ready meal availability
2. It’s not for me. There’s just too many hits. I’m comfortably getting by without meat at the mo and only had fish once in nine days. But add in the eggs, dairy, cheese, honey etc and it’s just too much hits for me to religiously maintain.
I’m fairly sure I’ll return to meat in Feb, but it has made me see it’s easier to get by without it than I thought it would be
Just my view.
I read the thread and I don’t even eat any veg or salad so I would never be able to be a veggie let alone a vegan.
I have, in this thread, provided lots of information about a plant-based diet, including recipes, academic papers, and positive support. Yet you denigrate it as 'Spam'.
All of the information that I have provided was made available with the intention to assist fellow Addicks (and anyone else who reads the website) to think about the issues and, perhaps, adopt a plant-based diet.
people come to veganuary from different habits, but it certainly isn't taking us down a processed food route, but have been veggie for years and we cook most of our own food anyway, so don't have ready meals or processed meat of course. This week have had red lentil & squash Dahl; chickpea, squash and spinach curry; black bean chilli with jacket spud; wraps with squash, roasted peppers, black beans etc. All simple to make and with equally simple homemade sides like hummus, guacamole, raita, red cabbage slaw which can be had with multiple meals - had the slaw for example with most meals and still enough left for tonight's processed Linda McCartney burger. The squash was roasted whole on the weekend and been good for several meals. But not massive changes for us compared to people used to eating meat based meals, so easier to adapt to vegan cooking/eating habits. Want to have more Oriental food like a tofu ramen, but not the sort of food used to cooking so haven't got round to that but hopefully it can become a new regular.
Tofu is a great food with a vile texture unless you search out a Cauldron variety. Had smoked Tofu in a slow cooked vegetable casserole which worked well. Tofu, like aubergine, is all about the format. I am not keen on aubergine texture, well in lasagna anyway, there must be an ace way of doing aubergine, but mine are always bitter and soggy. Any good ideas out there?
Tofu is a great food with a vile texture unless you search out a Cauldron variety. Had smoked Tofu in a slow cooked vegetable casserole which worked well. Tofu, like aubergine, is all about the format. I am not keen on aubergine texture, well in lasagna anyway, there must be an ace way of doing aubergine, but mine are always bitter and soggy. Any good ideas out there?
Salt em, that drys them out and makes them sweeter.
Tofu is a great food with a vile texture unless you search out a Cauldron variety. Had smoked Tofu in a slow cooked vegetable casserole which worked well. Tofu, like aubergine, is all about the format. I am not keen on aubergine texture, well in lasagna anyway, there must be an ace way of doing aubergine, but mine are always bitter and soggy. Any good ideas out there?
Flash fried eggplant, like they do in China is fantastic, I also like to roast it with a little olive oil brushes over with some pepper.
On the subject of tofu, if you want to replicate egg mayo then it’s a must and really simple. Get a block of extra firm, crumble it into a bowl along with vegan mayo, turmeric for colour. To make it eggy you have to season it with namak salt, also known as Himalayan black salt. It’s a pungent, sulphurous salt and using it makes the vegan version a winner.
For a tofu scrambled ‘egg’ its a similar process. Heat up your pan, crumble in the firm tofu, add your turmeric, black pepper and namak salt and stir to heat it through. To make it a bit more luxurious I’ll sometimes blitz a block of soft tofu in my Nutribullet and stir that through. It just gives it a bit extra. Chuck in some sun blushed tomatoes and a couple of chopped spring onions and there you go.
Suspect a lot of people reading this thread are reducing meat intake, so posting your meals up @AFKABartram gives people ideas as to what they could cook. I’ll cook a vegan Thai soon, cheers.
Worried what you’d spread on your crumpets if you gave up dairy and ditched butter? Well worry not for this is the dogs of vegan butter. My daughter, who isn’t veggie, says it’s better than Anchor. Get mine from Sainsbury’s.
I like their spread but this is even better (more shea, less rapeseed, little more salt) - didn't think there could be a decent alternative to butter, but this is. I wouldn't agree it is as tasty as butter, nothing is, but it's a great alternative. I shall be sticking with this one :-)
Really interesting watching. Certainly enough to make you question meat eating when you see those people that are certainly closer to Carnivores than Omnivores attitudes changing.
need to watch the second one of Meat the Family, very interesting. Meanwhile, these (from Sainsbury's amongst others) are ridiculously delicious, best chocolate I've had in ages:
Jennifer Robertson from Quality Meat Scotland said:
"Our farmers are working very very hard at producing sustainable product and they're working hard at increasing biodiversity throughout the farmland as well.
"I think a lot of people are looking at how much meat they're eating and that's absolutely fine but if they want to try and choose meat maybe two or three times a week that's still perfectly acceptable.
"We're encouraged that we can eat up to 70g (2.47oz) of red meat per day, so if we're going to choose to eat it maybe a little less often we would encourage eat the best."
The more of that go plant based the better for the planet, but the bigger effect this decade could be as this lady suggests, by lots of people significantly reducing the quantity of meat and dairy they consume. That certainly seems to be happening to a degree, unfortunately I think maybe 50% of people are very resistant to this. T
Comments
I will complete January, but it has told me one thing, I am not likely to ever cold turkey my way to a completely plant based diet. Cheese is the biggest challenge. I could certainly go to 90% vegetarian though. Let me have my real mayo, cheese, whey protein and eggs. Then I'll have just 1-2 meat meals a month.
I'll not be giving up all animal products, but am already giving serious thought to stopping using the minimal cow's milk I currently use, as well as cutting meat consumption back to meals out or specific treats where I'm confident I'm getting the best I can.
That being said, it's a week in, so let's see. Be interested in seeing how views change week on week.
Best veggie foods I have eaten include;
1. Vivera steak. Didnt even like steak before and this may not taste like it but i love the flavour.
2. Quorn bacon - all the flavour without the gristle.
3. Quorn "best of british" sausages. More juicy than the standard ones and go great with a fry up.
4. Co-Op "incredible burgers". Bought as on offer once, always had since. Genuinely lovely.
5. Fry's smoked hot dogs. Fantastic in a roll with onions.
6. Quorn Vegan Hot n Spicy burgers.
There are loads more but above come to mind straight away.
Hope above helps for those who don't like taste/texture/look of new things they are trying.
Not bad.
Have to add add my name to the list of Vivera kebab, it really comes close to the meat equivalent. Stick it in a pitta with salad and a healthy squirt of sriracha sauce and you’ll be hard pressed to tell the difference. It was a godsend when that came out because the only meat I’ve ever really craved since I went veggie in ‘97 is kebab meat.
As for sausages the best I’ve found are by a company called Naked Glory. They cook like normal sausages and the taste and texture is spot on. I’m fairly confident they’d fool most carnivores, including one of my cats!
Big bowl of beige. Not my best chef effort, needed some spinach or rocket, and too oily.
5/10
I have, in this thread, provided lots of information about a plant-based diet, including recipes, academic papers, and positive support. Yet you denigrate it as 'Spam'.
All of the information that I have provided was made available with the intention to assist fellow Addicks (and anyone else who reads the website) to think about the issues and, perhaps, adopt a plant-based diet.
This week have had red lentil & squash Dahl; chickpea, squash and spinach curry; black bean chilli with jacket spud; wraps with squash, roasted peppers, black beans etc. All simple to make and with equally simple homemade sides like hummus, guacamole, raita, red cabbage slaw which can be had with multiple meals - had the slaw for example with most meals and still enough left for tonight's processed Linda McCartney burger. The squash was roasted whole on the weekend and been good for several meals.
But not massive changes for us compared to people used to eating meat based meals, so easier to adapt to vegan cooking/eating habits. Want to have more Oriental food like a tofu ramen, but not the sort of food used to cooking so haven't got round to that but hopefully it can become a new regular.
Had smoked Tofu in a slow cooked vegetable casserole which worked well.
Tofu, like aubergine, is all about the format.
I am not keen on aubergine texture, well in lasagna anyway, there must be an ace way of doing aubergine, but mine are always bitter and soggy.
Any good ideas out there?
https://www.myrecipes.com/how-to/cooking-questions/how-to-salt-eggplant
Lunch - Quorn chilli with jacket potato + side salad.
7/10
You should have left the unedited version @Annakissed :-)
For a tofu scrambled ‘egg’ its a similar process. Heat up your pan, crumble in the firm tofu, add your turmeric, black pepper and namak salt and stir to heat it through. To make it a bit more luxurious I’ll sometimes blitz a block of soft tofu in my Nutribullet and stir that through. It just gives it a bit extra. Chuck in some sun blushed tomatoes and a couple of chopped spring onions and there you go.
8/10
Bit of comfort food to end a tough week. The crispy fillet tasted hardly any different to a chicken one.
9/10
Bet you vegans can’t wait till my months up and I stop polluting this thread!
I wouldn't agree it is as tasty as butter, nothing is, but it's a great alternative. I shall be sticking with this one :-)
Really interesting watching. Certainly enough to make you question meat eating when you see those people that are certainly closer to Carnivores than Omnivores attitudes changing.
Meanwhile, these (from Sainsbury's amongst others) are ridiculously delicious, best chocolate I've had in ages: