Going vegan, need some help!

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tayyloor13
tayyloor13 Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
I've wanted to go vegan for a while now, I was a vegetarian for quite a bit but I didn't do it properly and had low iron so it didn't work. I want to get it right this time around! Recipes, food suggestions, tips and tricks would be awesome!

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  • Maitria
    Maitria Posts: 439 Member
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    I would check out chocolatecoveredkatie.com, as a lot of her recipes incorporate beans (not appealing to a lot of people but many vegans take protein boosts where we can get them.) OhSheGlows and TheVedge are other great websites.

    When you eat greens, have something with it that contains citric acid as that helps plant iron absorb. Supplement your B-12, and a few times a week, consider taking a multivitamin with iron in it (Deva makes one). They now make vegan D-3.
  • Hope_for_Arbuckle
    Hope_for_Arbuckle Posts: 9
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    Hi ^_^ ,

    Glad to hear you're becoming vegan! it's so much better for the environment!
    I was vegetarian for around 8 months before becoming a vegan and have been a vegan now for about 3, it can be pretty intimating at first, I'm only really started to get the hang of it now and still learning new things everyday but you'd be surprised how much help and information there is out there!
    I found this website awhile ago and it's given me such great ideas I'm so happy I found it, not only is there tons of gorgeous, healthy recipes but there's also so much great information, even about making your own vegan beauty products.

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/

    I think the main thing to be thoughtful of is your macro/micro nutrient intake, just small things like investing in a vegan protein powder, changing to organic, drinking mineral water instead of tap can really help, there's also loads of products out there for vegans like vegan cheeses, yoghurt, variety of milks, coconut, almond , oat etc...

    I hope this website helps a bit and here's a few quick links for some more information :

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/food-substitutions-plant-based-diet/

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/how-to-make-vegan-versions-of-your-favorite-brand-name-foods/

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/natural-health/how-to-do-snacktime-right-as-a-plant-powered-gluten-free-athlete/

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/hacks-to-make-food-cheesy-without-adding-cheese/

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/answers-to-common-questions-about-nutrition-on-vegan-diet/

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/how-to-milk-an-almond/

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/make-your-own-coconut-milk-and-coconut-yogurt/
  • mkcollier12
    mkcollier12 Posts: 1
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    That's great! I've been vegetarian for about a year and a half, but my fiance and I make it a priority to eat vegan meals throughout the week. Hands down the greatest thing we purchased was the cookbook titled "Vegan on the Cheap" by Robin Robertson. She has TONS of attainable, easy-to-make vegan recipes, including a bunch that you can make in the slow cooker. She also has recipes for seitan and other vegan proteins, but I'm still too intimidated to try making those.

    I also recommend that you make it a priority to pre-make meals and menu-plan whenever possible, especially for lunches and snacks. It'll help you maintain control of nutrients plus it'll eliminate some of the temptation to stray from a vegan/vegetarian diet. Best of luck!!
  • tayyloor13
    tayyloor13 Posts: 7
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    Hi ^_^ ,

    Glad to hear you're becoming vegan! it's so much better for the environment!
    I was vegetarian for around 8 months before becoming a vegan and have been a vegan now for about 3, it can be pretty intimating at first, I'm only really started to get the hang of it now and still learning new things everyday but you'd be surprised how much help and information there is out there!
    I found this website awhile ago and it's given me such great ideas I'm so happy I found it, not only is there tons of gorgeous, healthy recipes but there's also so much great information, even about making your own vegan beauty products.

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/

    I think the main thing to be thoughtful of is your macro/micro nutrient intake, just small things like investing in a vegan protein powder, changing to organic, drinking mineral water instead of tap can really help, there's also loads of products out there for vegans like vegan cheeses, yoghurt, variety of milks, coconut, almond , oat etc...

    I hope this website helps a bit and here's a few quick links for some more information :

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/food-substitutions-plant-based-diet/

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/how-to-make-vegan-versions-of-your-favorite-brand-name-foods/

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/natural-health/how-to-do-snacktime-right-as-a-plant-powered-gluten-free-athlete/

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/hacks-to-make-food-cheesy-without-adding-cheese/

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/answers-to-common-questions-about-nutrition-on-vegan-diet/

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/how-to-milk-an-almond/

    http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/make-your-own-coconut-milk-and-coconut-yogurt/

    This is great! Thank you!
  • Kara52217
    Kara52217 Posts: 353 Member
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    LOVE the happy herbivore .. not lots of oil and butter just good low fat great tasting food.

    Good Luck
  • Sunbrooke
    Sunbrooke Posts: 632 Member
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    Get some nutritional yeast. It has b vitamins in it and has a taste similar to dry fake cheese (it's hard to describe), but no salt and few calories.

    Do some research on how to prep and cook tofu. There are techniques that really help and make it more versatile.

    Make bean patties (like black bean patties, falafel, lentil patties) and freeze them. Every recipe I have tried freezes pretty well and cooks well from frozen. If the recipe calls for egg, just leave it out.. I haven't really had any problems leaving them out of patties.

    Amy's makes a decent roasted vegetable vegan pizza. I buy one and keep it in the freezer for when my husband craves pizza.

    So delicious makes great vegan ice cream.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
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    Post Punk Kitchen is your friend: http://www.theppk.com

    Isa Chandra Moskovitz's cookbooks are also good, as are Robin Robertson's _Vegan Fire and Spice_ and Donna Klein's _The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen_.

    I'm not vegan, but I have a close friend who is, and I'm cutting back on meat and dairy, so I do a lot of vegan cooking. Those books and PPK haven't led me wrong yet. Mark Bittman's _Vegan Before 6_ is also worth checking out for breakfast and lunch ideas.
  • twinkfran
    twinkfran Posts: 54 Member
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    There are several groups on here for vegans with recipe ideas

    I use Happy Herbivire a lot
  • mathmatt
    mathmatt Posts: 58 Member
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    Here are some resources to check out. They really helped me when I first became vegan and I keep learning a lot from them.

    Brendan Brazier's book Thrive
    Tim VanOrden's website and youtube channel
    Neal Barnard's book Food for Life
    Matt Frazier's website No Meat Athlete
    Rich Roll's website
  • theperksofbeingdeana
    theperksofbeingdeana Posts: 22 Member
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    Hello, everyone! I was vegetarian for 7 years, then made the switch over to vegan 2 years ago.

    I think others have given you a great idea on where to start.
    My input is, it's a matter of focusing on eating tons of veggies, beans/legumes, and protein! And if you're going to buy something prepackaged, ALWAYS READ THE INGREDIENTS! You would be surprised at the things that have milk or a derivative in them.

    Tofu, tempeh, and hummus are my best friends.
    Also, if you love cheese like I did, you may find that Daiya is the best alternative. It doesn't taste just like cheese, but it's distinctive flavor is amazing, in my opinion! C:

    A few recommendations for viewing (All on Netflix, last I checked): Forks Over Knives, Food Matters, Food, Inc., and Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. I found it empowering and motivation to educate myself as much as possible going into it.

    Good luck!


    And finally, I am looking for some vegan pals on MFP! Add me any and all! C:
  • bohemian124
    bohemian124 Posts: 153 Member
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    Some great recommendations on here! I definitely agree with Chocolate Covered Katie and Oh She Glows, both such great websites with fun and yummy recipes.

    I'm not a vegan or vegetarian, but I'd say 70-80% of the food I eat is vegetarian, especially when I'm cooking. My favorite thing to do is cook off a huge batch of dried beans, then freeze flat in 2 cup portions. If you are looking for some interesting beans to try, you should check out Rancho Gordo beans; they have some really cool varieties you won't find in stores. My new favorite is the yellow Indian woman beans - they are very creamy and have great flavor!

    Learning to press, marinate, and cook tofu is huge.

    There are lots of healthy grain options, such as wheatberries, farro, etc. Qunoa is also a really good choice. I didn't like quinoa until I tried it cooked in broth; in plain water, it's boring!

    Daiya is really good vegan cheese, especially in quesadillas. There is a vegan restuarant near me that makes the best quesadillas I've ever eaten, vegan or otherwise.

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