Hi, I've been planning on going vegan for like a year now but a recent medical problem has made it much more troublesome. I am certain I suffer from GERD and I have acid reflux everyday, which is quickly worsened by classically FODMAP-y foods. I'm still figuring out the specifics, but I know that veggie staples like onions and garlic are a big no-no, and my favourite foods like tomatoes and lemons also give me problems. This is very frustrating because I'm already a pretty crappy cook. I'm a university student whose meals can be summed up as 'standard British meaty meals with the meat swapped out for Quorn' - spag bol, 'chicken' curry, 'sausages' and mash and so forth. I'm not kitchen smart and I don't know my way around flavours, so the restriction of particular vegetables so common in vegan recipes has made cooking and eating much harder. I rely a lot on carbs like pasta and rice, I'm unfamiliar with the majority of ingredients found in vegan recipes, I've never cooked tofu for example. I don't eat meat or fish, I avoid eggs but I do consume cheese and yoghurt (the latter of which helps my acid reflux). I have yet to speak with a dietitian. I'd like some advice. Is it plausible/easy for me to go 100% vegan? I'm a frugal shopper and I'm already intimidated by the ingredients common to vegan recipes, many of which I don't think I can safely eat. Does anyone else here have experience, and if so perhaps you could share some ideas/recipes? What do you eat?
Why do recipes seemingly never want to include dedicated meat substitutes?
I think I would be representative of many people - I enjoy a mostly plant-based diet which includes a lot of meat substitutes. I know some people prefer not to eat these, or cook purely with vegetables, but for me personally, the meat substitute is the pizazz, the centrepiece, the best part of the dish, much as meat would be for those that eat it. Example; quorn (I realise the original recipe isn’t vegan, but serves as an obvious example) or similar own-brand vegan mince in a chilli or bolognese sauce, veggie bacon or sausages in a cooked breakfast, chicken pieces or tofu in any sort of curry. Now, tofu is the exception to this rule, because people do include that in recipes. However, pretty much any recipe I’ve ever seen for something which I would absolutely include fake meat in - such as the above chilli or bolognese examples - never includes that key ingredient, the recipes are vegetables only. I’ll be one of the first to tell you that vegetables are delicious of their own accord, but you still won’t ever catch me forgoing the equivalent meat substitute in any traditional recipe, so I’m not sure why recipes online or in books don’t reflect this. I can see two potential reasons for this:
Recipes don’t want to mention any brand (i.e. Quorn), which I can understand, but there would be nothing to stop them saying “frozen soya mince (from your supermarket’s vegetarian isle)” or similar.
They’re not including meat substitutes because they’re assuming people will follow the standard meat-eaters’ recipe and simply substitute.
Now, I know there are some obvious exceptions to this, such as the Quorn cookbook I own, but that is literally made by the brand itself so it’s hardly surprising. The same phenomenon I’ve described is also strangely true in restaurants, you can find veggie or vegan breakfasts everywhere, yet why do none of them serve veggie bacon rashers with it?
Why do recipes seemingly never want to include meat substitutes like Quorn?
I think I would be representative of many of us here - I enjoy a vegetarian diet which includes a lot of meat substitutes. I know some people prefer not to eat these, or cook purely with vegetables, but for me personally, the meat substitute is the pizazz, the centrepiece, the best part of the dish, much as meat would be for those that eat it. Example; quorn or similar own-brand veggie/vegan mince in a chilli or bolognese sauce, veggie bacon or sausages in a cooked breakfast, chicken pieces or tofu in any sort of curry. Now, tofu is the exception to this rule, because people do include that in recipes. However, pretty much any recipe I’ve ever seen for something which I would absolutely include fake meat in - such as the above chilli or bolognese examples, never includes anything like that - the recipes are vegetables only. By all means, vegetables are delicious of their own accord, but I never cook like this, I love having my protein equivalent. I can see two potential reasons for this:
Recipes don’t want to mention any brand (i.e. Quorn), which I can understand, but there would be nothing to stop them saying “frozen soya mince (from your supermarket’s vegetarian isle)” or similar.
They’re not including meat substitutes because they’re assuming people will follow the standard meat-eaters’ recipe and simply substitute.
Now, I know there are some obvious exceptions to this, such as the Quorn cookbook I own, but that is literally made by the brand itself so it’s hardly surprising. The same phenomenon I’ve described is also strangely true in restaurants, you can find veggie or vegan breakfasts everywhere, but why do none of them serve veggie bacon with it (which I personally love)? I’m actually of the opinion that the rise of veganism has done more for plant-based food in a couple years than vegetarianism has in a couple decades. We’re now seeing way more delicious meat substitute products on shelves AND in restaurants, and this is generally advertised as the vegan option, not the vegetarian one. What are other people’s thoughts on this?
My personal master list for creating delicious, wholesome salads!
Dear veganrecipes, After my last post (a recipe for a lentil and avocado salad), some of you in the comments asked for more suggestions on flavor combinations in salads, recipes, and a general approach to making a salad bowl that tastes good, looks good, and is healthy and filling. Because of this, I decided to share the ideas about this that I have been using lately! A little bit about me, for context: I am a 21-year-old grad student in the humanities, with a great passion for cooking. I try to eat a vegan diet that is mainly whole and high-fiber foods, and I am very interested in authentic recipes, learning about traditional cuisines, and playing with flavors in a way that triggers a certain recognition. For example: if I want to make a vegan apple pie, I will maintain the elements that are to me essential to apple pie as it is stored in my memory, because this is what I like about the particular food. If this 'essence' (for lack of a better term) cannot be recreated, I refuse to make a vegan version of it. Now, moving on to salads. There are several elements that were important to me in developing this, and I will try to discuss them somewhat systematically, to keep this post well-structured. 1. Health For me, what is important health-wise in creating a salad is that it has a good balance of macro- and micronutrients. Of course, everyone has different ideas of what is and isn't healthy in this regard, and what works for me may not work for someone else, so apply my ideas as you see fit.
Macronutrients: what works best for me, and what seems to be widely accepted, is to aim for a balance of complex carbs (with lots of fiber), varied proteins, and 'healthy fats'. This means I restrict my intake of refined sugar and white flour (pasta, white rice, white bread, pastries and cookies), as well as artificial sweeteners (because I feel they make me crave the sweet taste more). In terms of fat, I get my fats mainly from nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil, tahini/peanut butter and the occasional avocado.
Micro-nutrients: this was something I only reasonable started finding an answer to. Because I found it difficult to know which vegetables to eat in order to get all my nutrients, and am not a big fan of tracking my intake all the time, I decided to look into ways of making sure I always get what I need. I found two different people who have created recipes that supposedly provide the perfect nutritional balance: Rhonda Patrick's micronutrient smoothie here, and u/mozzarellameltdown's post over at veganhere. Both of these suggest a combination of around 10 ingredients, leading to a perfect balance of micronutrients (not necessarily macronutrients!). While I am not the type of person to enjoy having all my nutrients in a futuristic foodshake, I used these as a sources to structure my meals: the information from these recipes proves that reaching micronutrients is made easiest through lots of spinach and kale, with the addition of (dried or fresh) tomatoes, some fruit, perhaps carrot, avocado, banana, some nuts and seeds (preferably flax), and a solid amount of protein.
Note: certain nutrients, such as B12 and D, might require taking a supplement 2. How to build the salad Using these nutritional guidelines and this 'proto-mix' I had set for myself as a starting point, I decided to further narrow down the set-up. This might be the point where you start realizing I tend to overthink things I bit, but I promise that this approach actually made it easier for me, not harder! From the proto-mix, I decided on the following categories:
Leafy green: in terms of volume, this green vegetable forms the basis of the salad. I tend to choose either spinach or kale, but green cabbage or chard could be options too. Sometimes I use lettuce, but it is not as filling/nutritious. You can choose to add lettuce as an extra, too!
An orange vegetable: the name is by lack of a better term, haha. By this, I mean carrot, tomato, pumpkin, sweet potato or bell peppers. By eating various colors of vegetables, you tend to get a wider variety of nutrients, and it also makes the bowl look more attractive!
Protein source: For this category, I tend to choose beans or lentils, but tofu, tempeh and things like quorn and tvp make good options. Especially because I don't often use other carbs in these bowls, beans and lentils allow me to create a very full bowl, packed with fiber as well as protein. They do require prep, but an easy way out is to use canned beans or lentils, which you can simply rinse well and add.
Fat source: Personally, I have no issues with olive oil, so I add it to most of my dressings. I also try to get more nutrient-rich sources of fat in, and will often add seeds or nuts to my salads. Occasionally I add avocado too, which works well in bowls with flavorful dressings.
Flavorings: It is in the flavorings that you can really make the difference between having 'salad again', or having 'an amazingly flavorful bowl again', in my opinion. Personally, I like making simple dressings that draw together the various ingredients. Besides this, you can add fresh herbs, some spice or spice mix in your dressing (for example garam masala, allspice, turmeric, whatever you like really!). I also always add salt, and usually black pepper. More about flavors in a bit.
Optional:
Carb source: Most bowls work well with some cooked grains added to them. I don't usually add any grains, but you could certainly add quinoa, barley, couscous, rice or pasta to most bowls!
Extra vegetables: any other vegetable that does not fit the categories can be added too, as an extra topping. I like adding cucumber, crispy corn, vegetable sprouts and other crunchy vegetables!
3. Flavor On to a more fun part, flavors! There are many ways to choose flavors within this format. For this, I have found three ways of finding a nice combination:
Not really a method, but simply winging it - using whatever sounds appealing, or whatever is in the fridge, and seeing how it turns out. This is a risky one if you're not too sure, but sometimes the outcomes are amazing!
Based on a different dish - for this method, you pick any dish you like, or a recipe online, and basically 'deconstruct' it down to a salad. It is comparable to how some restaurants also serve their mains as salads when asked. If you for example really like a recipe for tomato and chickpea curry, this can be converted in a salad by taking the main elements (tomato, chickpeas, perhaps a fresh herb or other vegetable that goes into it), adding the missing elements of the salad list (leafy greens, fats and flavorings), and using the most defining spices of the dish in your dressing. This way, you get a dish that, while not being an imitation or replacement, takes a succesful flavor combination and applies it in a new way. *Based on a cuisine - similar to the previous one, but (I feel) a bit more creative. For this method, you think of a cuisine you know and have some experience with, for example, let's say Italian food. Then, you fill out the boxes of how to make a salad with things you believe would work in the profile 'Italian food': as a leafy green for example, you would perhaps pick spinach or cavolo nero, and for a protein cannelini beans might be a good choice. A dressing could for example be a pesto-based one, or a balsamic vinaigrette. It can be as 'authentic' or 'fusion' as you like, it's just a salad after all!
4. Examples Here are a few 'country-based' recipe suggestions. These are based mainly on my associations, rather than what a person in said country might make. They more or less fit the format, although some called for a bit more flexibility.
'Indian bowl': spiced chick peas (pan roasted, cumin and chili addded), julienned carrot, fresh spinach, tomato, garam masala dressing (olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper, garam masala). (optional: cashews)
'Greek bowl': spinach, artichoke hearts from a jar, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, lentils or fava beans, mint and/or dill, pine nuts, soy yogurt-olive oil dressing (soy yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper)
'Tex-mex bowl': spinach, cilantro, tomato, black beans (or kidney beans), crispy corn, avocado, with a chili-lime dressing (olive oil, lime juice, finely chopped chili pepper, salt)
'Dutch bowl': roasted red beets, steamed kale, roasted skin-on potato, swiss chard, carrot, flax seeds, with a dill or tarragon dressing (oil, white vinegar, salt, pepper, chopped dill or tarragon).
That's about it! I hope this (very long) post will be helpful for some, and that I didn't forget anything :) If you're interested in pictures of some of the bowls I've made so far, you can find me on Instagram with @rosesbowls! **Edit: formatting
Anyone got advice on phasing meat out from your diet plus that of a picky loved one?
My SO and I both come from meat eating families and are used to eating a lot of it, both in evening meals and sandwiches but I'm trying to cut down on that for a variety of reasons (health and environmental being big factors). The first problem is that I don't have a great repertoire of vegetarian recipes, though I'm trying to expand on that through online research. I also usually get home late from work so most of the things I cook have to be something I can make within 30 minutes or leave in a slow cooker while I'm at work. The second problem is that here in West-flanders (Belgium) it seems to be difficult to get certain ingredients like tofu, tempeh, quorn and tahini (maybe I just don't know where to look?) The biggest problem is that my SO is massively into meat and is sometimes very resistant to attempts to introduce meals without it. I cook the vast majority of the time so I have managed to find some meals he likes through passing it off as experimentation or through the "at least one vegetarian meal per week" rule. Often he will eat something if I put it in front of him and he will say it's nice but he just prefers meat, which is a shame because I personally think vegetarian lasagne is way better than a meat one. I'm also a bit of a mediocre cook to be honest so I worry that I may not be doing some of the meals justice. He's also very picky - he cannot eat anything with mushroom unless it's minced into tiny pieces because he can't stand the texture and although he will eat a lot of vegetables if he's hungry enough he will often separate out things and leave them or give them to me to eat. (Aubergine, any kind of cooked brassica, larger chunks of peppeonion). Things that seem to be acceptable so far: pasta dishes (though he always says it would be better with meat), spicy foods like curry or chilli, quiche, butternut squash risotto, a vegetarian nut roast, soup
Healthy Vegetable Curry with Quorn Mince! January 22, 2021 Low Calorie Recipes Beef, Low Calorie Recipes. Hello! This year I’ve decided to collaborate with Quorn – promoting a more plant based diet (rather than giving up meat altogether!). I was lucky enough to be asked to film with them so I really hope you like this more ‘professional’ video – I was so excited to film it and see it ... Recipes Quorn Mince & Vegetable Curry . Try our delicious recipe for a healthier meat free Mince Curry. Made with Quorn Mince, onion, mushrooms, lentils,... 26 mins. Serves 4 . 283 Cals Per serving. Recipes Tikka Masala with Quorn Pieces . Fancy a curry night? Tikka Masala is a much-loved classic, and it's easy to see why. Our Quorn version packs in all... 60 mins. Serves 4. 242 Cals Per ... 12oz Quorn Meatless Grounds; 1 tbs. vegetable oil; 1 onion, diced; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 2 peeled garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbs. korma curry powder; 1 tbs. tomato paste ; 2 cups vegetable broth; 1/4 cup peas; 1 tbs. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped; salt and pepper to taste If you are craving for a meatless alternative of your favorite meals, click here to find Quorn's range of vegetarian recipes for breakfast, lunch and more. Stir in the stock and tomato puree. Bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the cauliflower and carrot in boiling water for 5 minutes until beginning to softenDrain well and add to the curry along with the Quorn Mince, grated ginger and green lentils. Spice up your meals with these exciting curry recipes from India, Thailand, Japan, China and more. Toss some fragrant spices in a pan, add your favourite seasonal veggies and pulses and choose between a range of versatile Quorn products. That's all the ingredients you need for the perfect vegetarian curry dish packed with flavours. Spice up your meals with these exciting vegetarian curry recipes from India, Thailand, Japan, China and more. Toss some fragrant spices in a pan, add your favourite seasonal veggies and pulses and choose between a range of versatile Quorn products. That's all the ingredients you need for the perfect vegetarian curry dish packed with flavours. 300g Quorn Mince; 2 tbsp rapeseed oil; 1 red onion, grated; 2 cloves of garlic, crushed; Curry Spice Blend : 1/2 tsp chilli flakes; 1 tsp ground ginger; ½ tsp ground coriander; ½ tsp ground cumin; ½ tsp ground turmeric; ¼ tsp ground fenugreek; 125g button mushrooms, quartered; 300ml vegetable stock; 1 tbsp tomato puree Add the sweet potatoes, tinned tomatoes and vegetable stock, cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are nearly cooked and soft 3 Add the Quorn pieces and cook uncovered for another 10 minutes until the curry sauce has thickened and the Quorn is cooked 4 Spice up your meals with these exciting curry recipes from India, Thailand, Japan, China and more. Toss some fragrant spices in a pan, add your favourite seasonal veggies and pulses and choose between a range of versatile Quorn products. That's all the ingredients you need for the perfect vegetarian curry dish packed with flavours.
VEGETARIAN KEEMA CURRY WITH QUORN MINCE QUICK CURRY RECIPES
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