New- Transitioning and live in beef country - HELP!

kmc362436

Hey all

I live in Wyoming, heart of beef country. My town is very small and we are limited on where we can shop for food. We only have an Albtertson's and a Walmart, though our Walmart is still lacking in vegan foods. Costco is two hours away so I do not go there often, if at all.

How do I get started? I know there is no easy button but I am definitely the person that quits too easily. I really want to make this work. I already have my Why's.

Does anyone have any suggestions that make the transition easier especially when your family is not on board?..yet.

Thank you!

MaizeyMaizey

Congratulations on a major step. I know, from recent experience, how challenging and rewarding it can be.

What helped me most was stepping away from websites, which gave me great ideas but information overload, and going back to basics:
peanut butter, hummus, beans (chili, burritos, tacos, nachos, tamales), veggies, stews, soups (with bean base and French herb or cajun style, etc.) slaws. Basically, what worked best for me in the transition was when I took recipes I loved and made vegan versions. Now, after more than five months, I am eating less-processed whole foods and spending less time in the kitchen. It has been a journey.

I also got more educated about protein needs which took the pressure off me to have massive amounts of proteins in every meal and found that I eat a lot of protein without even trying. I have learned random things I never knew, like how fish get the fish taste from seaweed and such. So, I learned to use small size TVP and a a few crumbs from seaweed sheets from the sushi section at Walmart to make DELICIOUS vegan tuna salad. I also found black salt that tastes like eggs, and now I can make veggie sausage (LiteLife:Gimme Lean from Walmart) and tofu-egg biscuits.

I found a few splurgy (naughty) items at Kroger and Walmart that I have every once in a while like Ben and Jerry's or So Delicious non-dairy ice cream, Beyond Meat burgers with BBQ sauce, some prepared vegan meat replacements like Morningstar Farms 1/4 lb. vegan meat-lovers burger. Oreos are vegan, and Vegenaise from Follow Your Heart (soy-free) is divine. I love it much more than real mayo. While typing this, I had Gardein's fish fillets with Vegenaise tartar sauce and oven fries. So good! (But that's the first time in five months, so it's not an every-day thing.) My hubby compared the fish fillets to Long John Silver's. They were good. (Vegan fish tacos, anyone?)

In the beginning, it was hard. On weekends, I would research and experiment with old recipes and new ones, using TVP to transition and to feel I hadn't lost my favorite meals. Oh, and a few things made all the difference: CASHEW CREAM, liquid smoke (used sparingly), and frozen-then-fried tofu. I made the most awesome Chick-fil-A style nuggets with that frozen-thawed tofu and a vegan version of Chick-fil-A Sauce my hubby said was better than the original. Little victories gave me hope I could do this without suffering and missing familiar favorites.

Mexican food is easy to adapt and make healthy/light as so is Indian (which I love). Chinese can also be adapted with cashews and/or tofu. The hardest has been Italian food because apparently what I liked was Parmesan and saltiness, not Italian food.

This is huge. Sorry. I just wish I could help you hands-on, but I know it's a personal journey. I was scared, hopeful, overwhelmed, and positive it was one of the best decisions of my life. It was. I have NO REGRETS, and I can tell from your wording of your post that you will find what you need as you make your journey. I hope, if nothing else, my excitement at least translates as encouragement as you seek suggestions and help along the way. You have my best wishes!

kwlaparo

MaizeyMaizey wrote: »

Congratulations on a major step. I know, from recent experience, how challenging and rewarding it can be.

What helped me most was stepping away from websites, which gave me great ideas but information overload, and going back to basics:
peanut butter, hummus, beans (chili, burritos, tacos, nachos, tamales), veggies, stews, soups (with bean base and French herb or cajun style, etc.) slaws. Basically, what worked best for me in the transition was when I took recipes I loved and made vegan versions. Now, after more than five months, I am eating less-processed whole foods and spending less time in the kitchen. It has been a journey.

I also got more educated about protein needs which took the pressure off me to have massive amounts of proteins in every meal and found that I eat a lot of protein without even trying. I have learned random things I never knew, like how fish get the fish taste from seaweed and such. So, I learned to use small size TVP and a a few crumbs from seaweed sheets from the sushi section at Walmart to make DELICIOUS vegan tuna salad. I also found black salt that tastes like eggs, and now I can make veggie sausage (LiteLife:Gimme Lean from Walmart) and tofu-egg biscuits.

I found a few splurgy (naughty) items at Kroger and Walmart that I have every once in a while like Ben and Jerry's or So Delicious non-dairy ice cream, Beyond Meat burgers with BBQ sauce, some prepared vegan meat replacements like Morningstar Farms 1/4 lb. vegan meat-lovers burger. Oreos are vegan, and Vegenaise from Follow Your Heart (soy-free) is divine. I love it much more than real mayo. While typing this, I had Gardein's fish fillets with Vegenaise tartar sauce and oven fries. So good! (But that's the first time in five months, so it's not an every-day thing.) My hubby compared the fish fillets to Long John Silver's. They were good. (Vegan fish tacos, anyone?)

In the beginning, it was hard. On weekends, I would research and experiment with old recipes and new ones, using TVP to transition and to feel I hadn't lost my favorite meals. Oh, and a few things made all the difference: CASHEW CREAM, liquid smoke (used sparingly), and frozen-then-fried tofu. I made the most awesome Chick-fil-A style nuggets with that frozen-thawed tofu and a vegan version of Chick-fil-A Sauce my hubby said was better than the original. Little victories gave me hope I could do this without suffering and missing familiar favorites.

Mexican food is easy to adapt and make healthy/light as so is Indian (which I love). Chinese can also be adapted with cashews and/or tofu. The hardest has been Italian food because apparently what I liked was Parmesan and saltiness, not Italian food.

This is huge. Sorry. I just wish I could help you hands-on, but I know it's a personal journey. I was scared, hopeful, overwhelmed, and positive it was one of the best decisions of my life. It was. I have NO REGRETS, and I can tell from your wording of your post that you will find what you need as you make your journey. I hope, if nothing else, my excitement at least translates as encouragement as you seek suggestions and help along the way. You have my best wishes!

This person's got it covered, so I'll only add that my husband and I both went vegan and two very different approaches worked for us. For me, I didn't need any of the meat-replacement or egg-replacement stuff. It helped me to take the advice above and just go back to the basics that every grocery store in the country will have--beans and lots of fruits and veggies. For my husband, he needed to rely a lot more on fake meats and Beyond Burgers were a lifesaver. So figure out what works for you!

I struggled more with desserts and now do a lot of baking because I have a huge sweet tooth. I love the blogs Chocolate Covered Katie (all vegan) and Minimalist Baker (mostly vegan) for vegan sweets that are also whole foods based and (relatively) healthy. I love baking so this won't be helpful for everyone, but I show up basically everywhere I go armed with a container of vegan cookies to share (and a backup dark chocolate bar just for me!). It's great because ppl usually forget that vegans like desserts too AND it proves the world that vegan baked goods are delicious. In a pinch, some off-the-shelf cookies are vegan, like Ginger Snaps and most flavors of Oreos (but not all, so check!).

Good luck! You've got this. I'll echo that going vegan is amazing and worth it and honestly was also one of the best decisions I ever made. I'm healthier. I feel like I'm being an activist at every meal. And it feels amazing knowing that by being vegan I'm closing the gap between me and the person I want to be.

emsmiley12

I feel your pain! I went vegan initially in the south, BBQ nation. implement slowly! Don’t feel like a failure if there are hiccups in getting fully vegan. And for being a bit remote with limited options I suggest Thrive Market!! Delivers to your door, easy to shop for vegan staple items. Stay confident in your why—because many will judge you, taunt you, and be abrasive about being vegan. But know that it’s worth it for so many reasons.

arizonadesert3

I've been vegan about 33 years and at first if was difficult. Don't be afraid of tofu! It can morph into many healthy dishes. This was my first tofu cookbook and a staple in my home:

https://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Cookery-Anniversary-Louise-Hagler/dp/1570672202

Honestly, though, I grill it (in a grill pan on the stovetop) for a quick meal. I agree with all comments above - take what you love and work with those ingredients and recipes to veganize them and the begin to expand. Our Walmart is always adding new vegan items.

Congratulations on your new healthy lifestyle!

InstepFitness

Facebook has a seitan appreciation group. I joined and since can make gourmet vegan faux meats, the trick is add the smoke flavoring, miso paste, vital wheat gluten is high in protein and chickpea flour for a smooth texture.I make garden ham, vegan turkey with crispy Chinese wrap for skin, my ribs are my son's favorite I add in apple sauce, honey and peanut butter to the vital wheat gluten You can order it in bulk online. They taste and see it tastes the same then decide its fun to compare, then can decide if they want what dead or healthy from nutrients.