Fellow Vegans or wanna-Vegans?

BMW6Series

Been eating Chez Gourmet Oregon Harvest Veggie Burgers recently. They are good.

BMW6Series

Check out www.tastybite.com. They have a lot of great vegan indian and thai food. The prices are cheaper than in the grocery store and if you order over 65.00 dollars worth the shipping is free.

It is about time for our family to place another large orders.

crossarmant

In terms of making vegan burgers, a great way of doing so is boiling equal parts of red lentils / TVP with what ever seasoning of choice until it absorbs all the water and makes a nice gooey slop. Then you mix in finely diced veggies of choice (I use onions, peppers, peas, broccoli, carrots, etc. but you can be adventurous). Then I add a good amount of rolled oats and panko bread crumbs and tamari soy sauce. You pat those into patties and pop them in the oven at 400 degrees and flip them once. Awesome natural(ish) ingredients, healthy, and packed with veggies. They taste great on some wheat bread with tomatoes, onions, and pickles.

BMW6Series

Thanks for the recipe. I have been experimenting with vegan burger patties.

My current recipe is
1 cup tvp
1 cup hot water
1 15oz can of beans, or mixed veggies your choice
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 jalapeno pepper finely diced
4 garlic gloves finely diced
1 tablespoon of vegan worchestershire sauce.

I blend it with a egg beater. Dollop patty sized amount into a fry pan. Fry both sides and then cook it through in the microwave. I get about 6 patties this way.

I am going to keep on experimenting until I come up with something super excellent.

BMW6Series

My mom is awesome. She took my out for lunch this morning. I got a nice garden burger and she gave me a garden burger recipe book.

http://www.amazon.com/Veggie-Burgers-Every-Which-Way/dp/1615190198/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1289261869&sr=1-1

Looking forward to trying lots of them. About half of them are vegan. There are directions how to take egg out of many of the vegitarian versions.

caitlinclock

I was vegan for 11 months and absolutely loved it.

Unfortunately I am not in the position to buy my own food at the moment but it is something I want to do again someday in the very near future. If anyone wants to add me, feel free!

TheMaidOfAstolat

In terms of making vegan burgers, a great way of doing so is boiling equal parts of red lentils / TVP with what ever seasoning of choice until it absorbs all the water and makes a nice gooey slop. Then you mix in finely diced veggies of choice (I use onions, peppers, peas, broccoli, carrots, etc. but you can be adventurous). Then I add a good amount of rolled oats and panko bread crumbs and tamari soy sauce. You pat those into patties and pop them in the oven at 400 degrees and flip them once. Awesome natural(ish) ingredients, healthy, and packed with veggies. They taste great on some wheat bread with tomatoes, onions, and pickles.

Oh...that sounds to freaking tasty!

PNCTink

Hi everyone! I have only read the last page so far and those recipes sound great! I've been vegan now for almost a month (and keeping things really low fat too), due to health issues. I'm loving it more than I thought I would! I have been wondering what other vegans eat on holidays?

PNCTink

I've just finished reading through the whole thread. Whew! I'll admit to being a cheese lover, but have only used in sparingly a couple of times. I have chronic pancreatitis and need to avoid dairy, caffeine, most beans, soy, and I'm trying to keep the sugar down too since pancreatitis can cause diabetes. I've been using http://vegweb.com/index.php?action=recipecategories for most of my recipes. I've tried getting my kids away from chicken nuggets by using Vegan Dad's recipe http://vegandad.blogspot.com/search?q=chicken+nuggets , but it was a no-go. They love fruit so we give them loads of fruits to eat, but i do have to sneak in the veggies. Anyway, my goal is to add more vegan foods to their diets and even DH has tried a few things that I've made, but his versions have had cheese.

BMW6Series

Wow, no beans either? That would be very very difficult for me to do. Hmmm. Trying to think of a bean/meat substitute. I will be back later if I can think of anything.

What are your favorite fruits and veggies that you can eat?

Bmw6Series

Sweet13_Princess

I eat 1-2 meat meals a week, the rest is vegetarian. It's not that I'm TRYING to be a vegetarian, it's just that I really don't crave meet very often and make it more for my fiance than I do for myself. I do like cheese, eggs, and will eat seafood rarely. I guess that makes me a flexitarian then?:-)

Shannon

firedragon064

I don't cook or buy food with meat but if I go over someone house I just eat whatever they offered me.
I made this last week. It was so good.. very tasty and meat like except it's too sweet. I'm going use less maple syrup the next time.
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/hamseitan.htm

PNCTink

Wow, no beans either? That would be very very difficult for me to do. Hmmm. Trying to think of a bean/meat substitute. I will be back later if I can think of anything.

What are your favorite fruits and veggies that you can eat?

Bmw6Series

I've been eating lentils and just subbing those for other beans in recipes.

I like almost all fruits and veg, apart from cabbage.

BMW6Series

I make Potato skins tonight. Vegetarian for the family with cheese, mushrooms and chives.

I had 2 kinds. (a) Mushrooms with Bulgogi (Korean with lots of ginger) Marinade and (b) Olive Oil and Zatar Mediterranean spice
blend.

It was all yummy and good.

BMW6Series

Indian food tonight. The rice is 4 or 5 grain rice with wild and red rice.

Pange33

I'm new here! I've been trying to be Vegetarian/vegan for about a year now. As a child, most meat grossed me out (unless it was battered or processed to the point that it was unrecognizable as meat). I read Skinny *****, and instantly went vegetarian, vegan 2 weeks later. I went 3 months solid, but then a small dairy amout would slip here and there. Or a non-vegan baked item (I LOVE and CRAVE sweets more than anything else). The hardest thing to give up was chicken fingers and pizza. They have long been my absolute favorite non sweet foods on the planet. A couple months ago, I had not eaten anything for most of the work day because I didn't have time to, and then friends wanted me to go out after work, to a restaurant that only offers tossed salad and french fries which are vegan. I was STARVING and weak at this point in my resolve. So I ordered chicken fingers and inhaled them. My friends thought it was quite funny to see the "vegetarian meltdown." Ever since that day I allowed myself to give in when I'm super hungry and have nothing substantial to eat (I hate eating out now, most restaurants in my area have NO options, except tossed salad and french fries, which is fattening and NOT filling). I'm fed up with everything, because I know with proper planning, and now having the knowledge and tools of what to eat and what not to eat, I know i have it in me to be a healthy vegetarian, if not VEGAN. Long story short, today is the day I begin to try again. If the best I can do is 90% vegan, then at least it's better than most of the planet! I want to be vegan more for health reasons, and I like having that type of diet because everything I can't eat isn't good for me anyway. But I do keep in mind that oriental flavor Top Ramen, and Oreos will not get me skinny eitther!!!

mah1120

I'm new! (as of 12/20/10), and I've been a pescetarian (only meat I eat is fish) since August 1, 2010. I NEED to get of the dairy and eggs, and I'm working towards that. Most of my meals are vegan, and hopefully in 2011 I can make the transition into veganism

camelot

I am a vegetarian. I believe I was born a vegetarian. Life is hard because the whole world eats meat. It is just set up for people who eat meat. I feel so estranged sometimes. It is hard for vegetarians to lose weight because we eat so many carbs. We can't stay feeling full because we eat so little protein. Woe is me today.

camelot

YOU HAVE TO WATCH THE ORIENTAL NOODLES. ONLY THE NISSAN ARE ANIMAL FREE. THE OTHERS HAVE SOMETHING IN THEM. READ THE INGREDIENTS. JUST WANTED TO HELP.

camelot

What is TVP?

TheMaidOfAstolat

What is TVP?

Textured Vegetable Protein also called TSP. It's a soy based product...it's usually used to make chili or burgers. You can use it anywhere you would use ground meat.

Pange33

YOU HAVE TO WATCH THE ORIENTAL NOODLES. ONLY THE NISSAN ARE ANIMAL FREE. THE OTHERS HAVE SOMETHING IN THEM. READ THE INGREDIENTS. JUST WANTED TO HELP.

Very true! stay away from Maruchan!!!!

Ugh! Day one and of course I'm over my carbs today and under my protein by 20!! Good thing I'm making veggie quinoa/lentil stew. I love veg web!!! ;D

meaghanls

I'm a fellow vegan! This January 1st will be my fourth year. I haven't had red meat since I was about 16 and I decided that I'm way too much of a hippie to ingest anything that used to be alive or suffers at our hands.

I turned for environmental and health issues, as well as having massive issues with factory farming and cruelty to animals. (I apologize now for anything I may say in the forums that may offend as I feel VERY strongly about this, though reading "Skinny *****" sums up how I feel and is life-changing!)

Fake meat/cheese is no better than the processed meat and dairy filled junked the non-vegans eat. I won't lie, I totally had nachos and cheese today (twice!), but I usually avoid it when possible.

There is definitely the belief that just won't die that vegans and vegetarians don't get enough calcium, iron, protein! or B12. Let me just tell you right now, IT IS A MYTH! Most green and leafy vegetables, not to mention beans/legumes and all those delicious fruits can provide us with the essentials. And hello, nuts. 6 cashews = 1 source of protein!

The one thing I am thankful for (above and beyond my previously mentioned reasons) is the different variety of food I've been exposed to. Had I never gone vegan, I may have never experienced the pomegranate, the mango, chickpeas!, eggplant, guacamole and my never-ending love for garlic.

Feel free to add me as a friend! It's all there (and some days are actually terrible!!!), but for the most part I've never been healthier after kicking the animals/by-products and I also shed 25 pounds as a sweet side effect. If you need advice in starting out or what sites are the best, etc, etc..., please let me know! I'm always willing to help out my fellow veggies... and wannabe converts!

Much love and thanks for all the support on this site!

PNCTink

Well, snow is keeping me from shopping today so I made my own rice "milk". I don't actually like the rice milk you can buy, but we don't have almonds around. It's cooling off in the fridge right now, but it looks pretty good. I also found another recipe for homemade almond milk that doesn't use as many almonds as I was using. Does anyone else make their own milk (or "juice")?

Also, DH bought me Veganomicon for Christmas. I love that book!! I can't wait to try the recipes!! I'd also like to get Vegan on the Cheap. Does anyone else have this? If so, do you like it?

wildflower22

Shalom fellow conscious eaters!
I've been vegetarian for about...10 years, vegan for 3-ish, but went back to vegetarian for...money reasons. I'm just getting back into being a vegan and I'm feeling wonderful!
I find it works for my body very well, especially a raw vegan diet, but I love veggies so much that I don't focus enough on proteins, which is why I haven't been able to lose weight.
Oh..that and I haven't exercised as much as I should.
I need help getting healthy!