New vegan

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fitmomma99
fitmomma99 Posts: 29 Member
I am new to a WFPB diet. Weight loss is a goal but not a priority in my life. I am just looking to improve the health of myself and my family. That being said I would love some ideas for vegan dinners preferably without curry (hubby hates, I've never had). I am getting tired of veggie stir frys and veggie burritos lol. Also if anyone wants to add me for encouragement that would be nice too :) thanks fellow vegans :)
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Replies

  • Barbs2222
    Barbs2222 Posts: 433 Member
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    We like bean tacos with pico de gallo, with a side of spanish rice.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    If your reason for vegan diet is healthy, you may want to rethink that! vegan diet can be "healthy" but vegan in and of itself does not equate to healthy, just like being an omnivorou can be healthy, and probably more so than a vegan diet
  • elliej
    elliej Posts: 466 Member
    edited June 2017
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    There is a group called Happy Herbivores you might look to join and read through. You can basically eat everything you ate before meal-wise, except you have to be a little creative in replacing animal with plant based products. Lasagne (lentils instead of mince), mushroom stroganoff (instead of beef), mac n cheese made with plant based milk and nutritional yeast... it goes on. High protein meat replacement products (seitan tofu tempeh soy) are available in most areas which help, just check they have no added egg/milk/honey.

    My favourite dishes include 'boeuf' bourginon (with seitan), loads of curries (sorry), tuscan sausage casserole (with vegan sausages and canellini beans), homemade lentil burgers, and thai green curry (with vegan Quorn pieces)

    Good luck with your transition!
  • vegan4lyfe2012
    vegan4lyfe2012 Posts: 1,157 Member
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    I have been vegan over 5 years (complete omnivore prior to that) and have never felt better! You are welcome to send me a friend request. I keep an open food and exercise log.

    Here are some of my favorite, healthy recipes:

    COWBOY CAVIAR

    Into a large mixing bowl:

    2 cups cooked black beans (or 1 can drained)
    1 can white sweet corn, drained
    2 roma tomatoes, diced
    2 avocados, diced
    1 bunch green onions, tops only, chopped

    Vinaigrette:

    ¼ cup Avocado Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    ¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar
    1 tsp garlic powder
    1 tsp salt
    1 tsp pepper

    Whisk vinaigrette together, pour over veggies and stir to combine.



    VEGETARIAN CHILI

    1 ½ cups cooked kidney beans
    1 ½ cups cooked pinto beans
    1 can Dakota Pride Mild Chili Beans (my secret weapon-only thing I buy at Aldi’s)
    1 onion, diced
    2 green bell peppers, diced
    1 can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
    2 ½ cups water
    1 tblsp chix bullion powder (vegan)
    1 tblsp chili powder
    1 tblsp garlic salt
    1 tblsp cumin

    Bring everything to a boil and cook until onions and peppers are soft – about 15 minutes.



    RATATOUILLE HOAGIE

    Dice & saute up in a little olive oil:

    1 eggplant
    1 zucchini
    1 green pepper
    1 onion
    1 clove garlic, minced

    Once everything is getting fairly cooked, add in a can of diced tomatoes with juice and a couple tablespoons of tomato paste. Season with salt & pepper, basil and parsley. I like to toast hoagie buns, load them with this, add (vegan) mozzarella and put under the broiler for just a minute - until the cheese is melted.



    AVOCADO TOFU SANDWICH

    Baked Tofu: Press & drain 1 block firm tofu. Cut into 4 "patties". Brush on mixture of soy sauce and liquid smoke, then sprinkle on garlic powder, salt & pepper. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Flip and bake additional 15 minutes.

    Avocado "mayo": Mash 1 avocado and combine with 1 T red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and parsley. Use this in place of mayo.

    Serve in a pita with a slice of tomato and lettuce.



    VERY VEGGIE “SPAGHETTI”

    2 Tbsp Tuscan Herb Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or regular EVOO)
    1 Onion, diced
    10 oz jar sliced Mushrooms
    2 large Zucchini, shredded in food processor
    2 large Carrots, shredded in food processor
    2 cloves Garlic, minced
    1 can (15 oz) Tomato Sauce, no salt added
    1 can (15 oz) Diced Tomatoes, no salt added - DO NOT DRAIN
    2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
    2 Tbsp Flaxmeal
    1 Tbsp dried Basil
    1 Tbsp dried Parsley
    Salt & Pepper to taste
    Nutritional Yeast (optional)

    Using a julienne peeler, make a huge mound of raw carrot or zucchini "pasta"...then top it with very veggie sauce.


    THREE BEAN SALAD

    1.5 cups cooked kidney beans
    1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
    2 cups cooked green beans
    1/2 white onion, finely diced
    1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced

    Dressing:

    2 T olive oil
    2 T apple cider vinegar
    parsley, salt & pepper to taste

    Mix dressing, stir in beans, onion and bell pepper and let marinate for at least 2 hours.


    QUINOA VEGGIE PLATE

    Ingredients
    1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
    1 cup water
    1 tsp vegan chix bouillion (optional)
    1 cup frozen green beans
    1 cup frozen cut carrots
    1 cup frozen peppers and onions

    *Sauce:
    1/3 cup tomato sauce
    1/3 cup diced tomato with juice
    1 tsp Italian Seasoning
    1 tsp dried minced onion
    Dash of garlic powder
    Salt and Pepper to taste

    1 tsp Nutritional Yeast
    Sprinkling of Adobo Seasoning

    Directions
    Bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add vegan chix flavored bullion, if desired. After boiling, stir in rinsed quinoa, lower heat to medium low, cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes, until quinoa is semi-translucent.

    While quinoa is cooking, steam green beans, carrots, peppers and onions for 8 minutes.

    For sauce, combine tomato sauce, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, dried minced onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper and heat on stove for 5 to 10 minutes.*

    To plate, divide quinoa onto two plates, top each with half of the veggies and sprinkle on Adobo seasoning. Divide the tomato sauce and pour over each plate and top each one with 1/2 tsp of nutritional yeast.

    *To speed this up, you can substitute your favorite pasta sauce for the sauce recipe.



    LOADED BAKED SWEET POTATO

    (ingredients listed tops 2 sweet potatoes):

    Combine 1/4 cup beans (red, black, white, pinto...your choice), 1 diced tomato, 1/2 diced onion, 1 tablespoon ground flax, 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper. Mix it all up and top the sweet potatoes.

    I usually just stab the potatoes with a fork several times and microwave them for 10 minutes and they turn out perfect!


    TOFUNA

    Baked Tofu
    Press a block of Lite Firm Tofu to remove as much water as possible. Cut into 4 "patties". Spray a baking sheet with EVOO. Mix together 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce and 1/2 tsp liquid smoke. Brush onto both sides of the patties, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Flip over and bake additional 15 minutes. When they are cooled, I roughly break them up and pulse them in my food processor. Put into a mixing bowl and add:

    1 celery stalk, finely diced
    1/2 cup vegan mayo
    3 tablespoons dill pickle relish
    2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    salt & pepper to taste

    Mix thoroughly and thoroughly enjoy!
  • iMikey
    iMikey Posts: 17 Member
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    Yes! Congratulations!!
    Remember to do all your nutrional research on all your macro and micro nutrients, don't forget to visit your cardiologist.
    Stay strong and do your best to love those that TRY to spear their lifestyle into yours without your say so. Vegan strong
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    I'm ovo-lacto but I cook a lot of vegan dishes. Feel free to friend me; my diary is set to 'public', but someone told me that they were finding it locked, so maybe there's a glitch. If any of the recipes grab you, PM me and I'll send you the details. (FYI I rarely cook dairy, my mains are almost always vegan, but my desserts may or may not be egg-free.)
  • dmkoenig
    dmkoenig Posts: 299 Member
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    Check out cookieandkate.com. It's a great blog with all sorts of vegetarian-based recipes. On first blush many of the recipes are not vegan but she always puts ideas for substitutions and changes to make everything vegan. She just published a cookbook (Love Real Food) as well that I just picked up and is great. There are so many variations - really interesting salads, soups, main courses, desserts and her writing style is fresh and easy to understand. Highly recommend.
  • CynthiasChoice
    CynthiasChoice Posts: 1,047 Member
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    To be a healthy vegan, you need to eat legumes daily. They contain certain essential amino acids not found in other plant foods. Would you enjoy stews or soups made with veggies and beans or lentils? If you're in a hurry, a jar of your favorite pasta sauce or salsa can make bean stews and soups interesting. If you're close to a Trader Joe's, their frozen veggie section has a lot of great options for throwing together a quick and colorful stew.

    Quick vegan stew recipe off the top of my head:
    A can of white beans
    A jar of marinara
    Frozen grilled peppers and onions
    Frozen spinach
    Frozen brown rice
    Vegetable broth
    Garnish with chopped green onions or chopped green olives
    Serve with hearty seeded crackers
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    To be a healthy vegan, you need to eat legumes daily. They contain certain essential amino acids not found in other plant foods. Would you enjoy stews or soups made with veggies and beans or lentils? If you're in a hurry, a jar of your favorite pasta sauce or salsa can make bean stews and soups interesting. If you're close to a Trader Joe's, their frozen veggie section has a lot of great options for throwing together a quick and colorful stew.

    Quick vegan stew recipe off the top of my head:
    A can of white beans
    A jar of marinara
    Frozen grilled peppers and onions
    Frozen spinach
    Frozen brown rice
    Vegetable broth
    Garnish with chopped green onions or chopped green olives
    Serve with hearty seeded crackers

    What amino acids are found in legumes but not other plant foods?

    Legumes are awesome and I eat them daily anyway, but a review of my Cronometer history shows me that I had each essential amino acid need at least partly met by a legume-free food over the last week by foods containing grains or other types of vegetables.
  • Johnturner69
    Johnturner69 Posts: 8 Member
    edited June 2017
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    erickirb wrote: »
    If your reason for vegan diet is healthy, you may want to rethink that! vegan diet can be "healthy" but vegan in and of itself does not equate to healthy, just like being an omnivorou can be healthy, and probably more so than a vegan diet

    I can't agree with Eric more. I was raised vegan for the first 13 years of my life. That being said, you can eat a whole box of Oreo's and a gallon of sweetened soy, nut, or rice milk and call yourself a vegan. ESPECIALLY if you are buying the "vegi" meat from your supermarket which is usually NOT healthy. I find a lot of vegan converts can't walk away from the idea of needing meat, and then look to morning star of something equally unhealthy for a replacement. I think its better as a convert to being vegan, eat as many vegan meals as you can, and then find healthy alternatives when you need a meat fix. Having a grilled chicken sandwich will be better for you than a "griller" meat replacement burger. I was never a PETA vegan, I was vegan because my family did it for religious reasons. I have nothing against a nice juicy burger, and with that in mind NO black bean burger will fill the craving for a grilled hunk of meat. Eat responsible, knowing WHAT is in your food is more important than whether or not it has animal byproducts.

    Hope there is something in there that will help. I like to lose the meat when I won't really miss it like a vegetarian chili. http://www.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons-recipes/hearty-quinoa-chili
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    erickirb wrote: »
    If your reason for vegan diet is healthy, you may want to rethink that! vegan diet can be "healthy" but vegan in and of itself does not equate to healthy, just like being an omnivorou can be healthy, and probably more so than a vegan diet

    I can't agree with Eric more. I was raised vegan for the first 13 years of my life. That being said, you can eat a whole box of Oreo's and a gallon of sweetened soy, nut, or rice milk and call yourself a vegan. ESPECIALLY if you are buying the "vegi" meat from your supermarket which is usually NOT healthy. I find a lot of vegan converts can't walk away from the idea of needing meat, and then look to morning star of something equally unhealthy for a replacement. I think its better as a convert to being vegan, eat as many vegan meals as you can, and then find healthy alternatives when you need a meet fix. Having a grilled chicken sandwich will be better for you than a "griller" meat replacement burger. I was never a PETA vegan, I was vegan because my family did it for religious reasons. I have nothing against a nice juicy burger, and with that in mind NO black bean burger will fill the craving for a grilled hunk of meat. Eat responsible, knowing WHAT is in your food is more important than whether or not it has animal byproducts.

    Hope there is something in there that will help. I like to lose the meat when I won't really miss it like a vegetarian chili. http://www.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons-recipes/hearty-quinoa-chili

    There's no need to fear-monger about meat substitutes. These are the ingredients of a popular vegan burger: Pea Protein Isolate, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Refined Coconut Oil, Water, Yeast Extract, Maltodextrin, Natural Flavors, Gum Arabic, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Succinic Acid, Acetic Acid, Non-GMO Modified Food Starch, Cellulose From Bamboo, Methylcellulose, Potato Starch, Beet Juice Extract (for color), Ascorbic Acid (to maintain color), Annatto Extract (for color), Citrus Fruit Extract (to maintain quality), Vegetable Glycerin.

    Which of those are going to harm my health?
  • Johnturner69
    Johnturner69 Posts: 8 Member
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    erickirb wrote: »
    If your reason for vegan diet is healthy, you may want to rethink that! vegan diet can be "healthy" but vegan in and of itself does not equate to healthy, just like being an omnivorou can be healthy, and probably more so than a vegan diet

    I can't agree with Eric more. I was raised vegan for the first 13 years of my life. That being said, you can eat a whole box of Oreo's and a gallon of sweetened soy, nut, or rice milk and call yourself a vegan. ESPECIALLY if you are buying the "vegi" meat from your supermarket which is usually NOT healthy. I find a lot of vegan converts can't walk away from the idea of needing meat, and then look to morning star of something equally unhealthy for a replacement. I think its better as a convert to being vegan, eat as many vegan meals as you can, and then find healthy alternatives when you need a meet fix. Having a grilled chicken sandwich will be better for you than a "griller" meat replacement burger. I was never a PETA vegan, I was vegan because my family did it for religious reasons. I have nothing against a nice juicy burger, and with that in mind NO black bean burger will fill the craving for a grilled hunk of meat. Eat responsible, knowing WHAT is in your food is more important than whether or not it has animal byproducts.

    Hope there is something in there that will help. I like to lose the meat when I won't really miss it like a vegetarian chili. http://www.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons-recipes/hearty-quinoa-chili

    There's no need to fear-monger about meat substitutes. These are the ingredients of a popular vegan burger: Pea Protein Isolate, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Refined Coconut Oil, Water, Yeast Extract, Maltodextrin, Natural Flavors, Gum Arabic, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Succinic Acid, Acetic Acid, Non-GMO Modified Food Starch, Cellulose From Bamboo, Methylcellulose, Potato Starch, Beet Juice Extract (for color), Ascorbic Acid (to maintain color), Annatto Extract (for color), Citrus Fruit Extract (to maintain quality), Vegetable Glycerin.

    Which of those are going to harm my health?
    I was not "fear mongering" without knowing which "popular vegan burger" you are speaking of it's impossible to know if it is healthy. I never said there are NO healthy meat alternatives. But I will say I could make that same burger using only ingredients that you actually know what they are. There is no reason to eat most of the ingredient that are listed in your choice of a veggie burger. Your burger list Expeller Pressed Canola oil, this uses hexane solvent wish is poisonous. It also list Sunflower oil, whis is considered a "cheap oil",and eating too much of these cheap oils can cause an abundance of Omega 6 fatty acids in our diets, which increases the risk of inflammation, heart disease, obesity, and prostate and bone cancer. So I am not fear-mongering, I just don't see how that is healthier than eating 4oz of locally sourced, organic chicken. Or making your own veggie burger with ingredients you can control and know what they are. Food should not read like a chemical science experiment.
  • WayTooHonest
    WayTooHonest Posts: 144 Member
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    I'm not vegan, but I am curious--do you know which spices in curry your husband dislikes? Curry is not a single spice but an infinite number of combinations of spices. If you can pinpoint which ones he dislikes it's very easy to make curry dishes that exclude them.

    Completely unrelated, but I just wanted to shout out to the person who knows curry is not a spice. The lady at my local Indian restaurant educated me that it is a method of cooking, like when we throw a bunch of stuff in the crock pot. It makes her laugh every time she sees curry powder for sale. Bless you for knowing that.
  • Veganniee
    Veganniee Posts: 460 Member
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    I'm vegan and my diary is open to friends (i think) so you can have a look at what i eat. I have loads of cookbooks so if there's a recipe you are after just PM me. Forks over Knives books have good WFPB recipes without oil. I also have Dr Greger's daily dozen app which although hard to hit each day, does make a difference.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    edited June 2017
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    erickirb wrote: »
    If your reason for vegan diet is healthy, you may want to rethink that! vegan diet can be "healthy" but vegan in and of itself does not equate to healthy, just like being an omnivorou can be healthy, and probably more so than a vegan diet

    I can't agree with Eric more. I was raised vegan for the first 13 years of my life. That being said, you can eat a whole box of Oreo's and a gallon of sweetened soy, nut, or rice milk and call yourself a vegan. ESPECIALLY if you are buying the "vegi" meat from your supermarket which is usually NOT healthy. I find a lot of vegan converts can't walk away from the idea of needing meat, and then look to morning star of something equally unhealthy for a replacement. I think its better as a convert to being vegan, eat as many vegan meals as you can, and then find healthy alternatives when you need a meet fix. Having a grilled chicken sandwich will be better for you than a "griller" meat replacement burger. I was never a PETA vegan, I was vegan because my family did it for religious reasons. I have nothing against a nice juicy burger, and with that in mind NO black bean burger will fill the craving for a grilled hunk of meat. Eat responsible, knowing WHAT is in your food is more important than whether or not it has animal byproducts.

    Hope there is something in there that will help. I like to lose the meat when I won't really miss it like a vegetarian chili. http://www.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons-recipes/hearty-quinoa-chili

    There's no need to fear-monger about meat substitutes. These are the ingredients of a popular vegan burger: Pea Protein Isolate, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Refined Coconut Oil, Water, Yeast Extract, Maltodextrin, Natural Flavors, Gum Arabic, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Succinic Acid, Acetic Acid, Non-GMO Modified Food Starch, Cellulose From Bamboo, Methylcellulose, Potato Starch, Beet Juice Extract (for color), Ascorbic Acid (to maintain color), Annatto Extract (for color), Citrus Fruit Extract (to maintain quality), Vegetable Glycerin.

    Which of those are going to harm my health?
    I was not "fear mongering" without knowing which "popular vegan burger" you are speaking of it's impossible to know if it is healthy. I never said there are NO healthy meat alternatives. But I will say I could make that same burger using only ingredients that you actually know what they are. There is no reason to eat most of the ingredient that are listed in your choice of a veggie burger. Your burger list Expeller Pressed Canola oil, this uses hexane solvent wish is poisonous. It also list Sunflower oil, whis is considered a "cheap oil",and eating too much of these cheap oils can cause an abundance of Omega 6 fatty acids in our diets, which increases the risk of inflammation, heart disease, obesity, and prostate and bone cancer. So I am not fear-mongering, I just don't see how that is healthier than eating 4oz of locally sourced, organic chicken. Or making your own veggie burger with ingredients you can control and know what they are. Food should not read like a chemical science experiment.

    Why do you need to know the brand to determine if the ingredients are healthy? That seems like the opposite of what you would need to know -- the ingredients alone should be able to indicate if it is dangerous or not.

    I know what all those ingredients are. A person's lack of knowledge doesn't make harmless things harmful. A person's knowledge doesn't make the harmful harmless.

    I sometimes eat expeller pressed canola oil and I have not been poisoned. If you're claiming that it, in and of itself, is a poison, then you're either using a very different definition of the word or there is some critical information about the dose at which harm begins that you are leaving out.

    Eating "too much" of anything isn't good for you. That's the very definition of "too much." I can drink too much water and harm myself, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't have a glass of water when I'm thirsty. That an ingredient in a dish would be harmful if too much was consumed doesn't mean that a reasonable amount is harmful.

    I never claimed that the burger we are discussing is "healthier" than a portion of chicken. I am responding to your claim that meat substitutes are harmful (that is, "NOT healthy," in your words). If you can't support how the ingredients in the burger, in the dosage context of the burger, are harmful, I don't see how you can stand by your claim.

    Food should not read like a science experiment? Do you avoid baking due to the chemical reactions one needs to create? Why shouldn't we use science to better understand food and create delicious foods to eat that also meet our nutritional needs? What's wrong with science?
  • Rhumax67
    Rhumax67 Posts: 162 Member
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  • Johnturner69
    Johnturner69 Posts: 8 Member
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    erickirb wrote: »
    If your reason for vegan diet is healthy, you may want to rethink that! vegan diet can be "healthy" but vegan in and of itself does not equate to healthy, just like being an omnivorou can be healthy, and probably more so than a vegan diet

    I can't agree with Eric more. I was raised vegan for the first 13 years of my life. That being said, you can eat a whole box of Oreo's and a gallon of sweetened soy, nut, or rice milk and call yourself a vegan. ESPECIALLY if you are buying the "vegi" meat from your supermarket which is usually NOT healthy. I find a lot of vegan converts can't walk away from the idea of needing meat, and then look to morning star of something equally unhealthy for a replacement. I think its better as a convert to being vegan, eat as many vegan meals as you can, and then find healthy alternatives when you need a meet fix. Having a grilled chicken sandwich will be better for you than a "griller" meat replacement burger. I was never a PETA vegan, I was vegan because my family did it for religious reasons. I have nothing against a nice juicy burger, and with that in mind NO black bean burger will fill the craving for a grilled hunk of meat. Eat responsible, knowing WHAT is in your food is more important than whether or not it has animal byproducts.

    Hope there is something in there that will help. I like to lose the meat when I won't really miss it like a vegetarian chili. http://www.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons-recipes/hearty-quinoa-chili

    There's no need to fear-monger about meat substitutes. These are the ingredients of a popular vegan burger: Pea Protein Isolate, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Refined Coconut Oil, Water, Yeast Extract, Maltodextrin, Natural Flavors, Gum Arabic, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Succinic Acid, Acetic Acid, Non-GMO Modified Food Starch, Cellulose From Bamboo, Methylcellulose, Potato Starch, Beet Juice Extract (for color), Ascorbic Acid (to maintain color), Annatto Extract (for color), Citrus Fruit Extract (to maintain quality), Vegetable Glycerin.

    Which of those are going to harm my health?
    I was not "fear mongering" without knowing which "popular vegan burger" you are speaking of it's impossible to know if it is healthy. I never said there are NO healthy meat alternatives. But I will say I could make that same burger using only ingredients that you actually know what they are. There is no reason to eat most of the ingredient that are listed in your choice of a veggie burger. Your burger list Expeller Pressed Canola oil, this uses hexane solvent wish is poisonous. It also list Sunflower oil, whis is considered a "cheap oil",and eating too much of these cheap oils can cause an abundance of Omega 6 fatty acids in our diets, which increases the risk of inflammation, heart disease, obesity, and prostate and bone cancer. So I am not fear-mongering, I just don't see how that is healthier than eating 4oz of locally sourced, organic chicken. Or making your own veggie burger with ingredients you can control and know what they are. Food should not read like a chemical science experiment.

    Why do you need to know the brand to determine if the ingredients are healthy? That seems like the opposite of what you would need to know -- the ingredients alone should be able to indicate if it is dangerous or not.

    I know what all those ingredients are. A person's lack of knowledge doesn't make harmless things harmful. A person's knowledge doesn't make the harmful harmless.

    I sometimes eat expeller pressed canola oil and I have not been poisoned. If you're claiming that it, in and of itself, is a poison, then you're either using a very different definition of the word or there is some critical information about the dose at which harm begins that you are leaving out.

    Eating "too much" of anything isn't good for you. That's the very definition of "too much." I can drink too much water and harm myself, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't have a glass of water when I'm thirsty. That an ingredient in a dish would be harmful if too much was consumed doesn't mean that a reasonable amount is harmful.

    I never claimed that the burger we are discussing is "healthier" than a portion of chicken. I am responding to your claim that meat substitutes are harmful (that is, "NOT healthy," in your words). If you can't support how the ingredients in the burger, in the dosage context of the burger, are harmful, I don't see how you can stand by your claim.

    Food should not read like a science experiment? Do you avoid baking due to the chemical reactions one needs to create? Why shouldn't we use science to better understand food and create delicious foods to eat that also meet our nutritional needs? What's wrong with science?

    I feel you are being a bit argumentative but I will try and spell it out for you. 1. "Why do you need to know the brand to determine if the ingredients are healthy? " Without knowing the brand I can't know HOW MUCH of any of those ingredient are in the burger. As you argue later in your last post the AMOUNT not the ingredient is what tells you how bad it its for you. (2.) I never said Expeller Pressed Canola oil is poisonous. You have NO idea if you have been poisoned. The question to you is, how much poison should you eat? (3.) "Eating "too much" of anything isn't good for you." Honestly I can't believe an adult would even want to argue this. Yes even water in "to much" quantity is harmful. But water with poison in it is even more harmful at any quantity. That is not to say you would fie because the water had poison in it. It could poison you over time without you ever knowing it was happening. So Don't you think water with no poison is better than water with poison? (4.) "I never claimed that the burger we are discussing is "healthier" than a portion of chicken." I NEVER said meat substitutes are harmful. I said that Veggie meat from the supermarket is usually not healthy. That is not saying there are not good options out there, it's just saying that most are over processed, loaded with salt and unhealthy fats. The burger you listed being a great example of what NOT to eat. I mean honestly how much poison is a safe amount to consume? If you are going to eat veggie meat from the supermarket do some research, find the healthiest versions, like those with the USDA organic which are not allowed to use poison like hexane solvents. (5.)"If you can't support how the ingredients in the burger, in the dosage context of the burger, are harmful, I don't see how you can stand by your claim." Again, you won't tell me the brand of the veggie burger you are talking about so you offer no "dosage" amounts. But again, your burger has poison in it. You tell me how much poison is the right amount? (6.) "Food should not read like a science experiment?" I again never said science is bad or should not be used. I said your food should not real like a science experiment. When you bake does your ingredients read like a science experiment? Yes, it is a scientific process that yields proper results. However you have to be intelligent enough to know the difference between baking powder and poison.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,009 Member
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    erickirb wrote: »
    If your reason for vegan diet is healthy, you may want to rethink that! vegan diet can be "healthy" but vegan in and of itself does not equate to healthy, just like being an omnivorou can be healthy, and probably more so than a vegan diet

    I can't agree with Eric more. I was raised vegan for the first 13 years of my life. That being said, you can eat a whole box of Oreo's and a gallon of sweetened soy, nut, or rice milk and call yourself a vegan. ESPECIALLY if you are buying the "vegi" meat from your supermarket which is usually NOT healthy. I find a lot of vegan converts can't walk away from the idea of needing meat, and then look to morning star of something equally unhealthy for a replacement. I think its better as a convert to being vegan, eat as many vegan meals as you can, and then find healthy alternatives when you need a meet fix. Having a grilled chicken sandwich will be better for you than a "griller" meat replacement burger. I was never a PETA vegan, I was vegan because my family did it for religious reasons. I have nothing against a nice juicy burger, and with that in mind NO black bean burger will fill the craving for a grilled hunk of meat. Eat responsible, knowing WHAT is in your food is more important than whether or not it has animal byproducts.

    Hope there is something in there that will help. I like to lose the meat when I won't really miss it like a vegetarian chili. http://www.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons-recipes/hearty-quinoa-chili

    There's no need to fear-monger about meat substitutes. These are the ingredients of a popular vegan burger: Pea Protein Isolate, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Refined Coconut Oil, Water, Yeast Extract, Maltodextrin, Natural Flavors, Gum Arabic, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Succinic Acid, Acetic Acid, Non-GMO Modified Food Starch, Cellulose From Bamboo, Methylcellulose, Potato Starch, Beet Juice Extract (for color), Ascorbic Acid (to maintain color), Annatto Extract (for color), Citrus Fruit Extract (to maintain quality), Vegetable Glycerin.

    Which of those are going to harm my health?
    I was not "fear mongering" without knowing which "popular vegan burger" you are speaking of it's impossible to know if it is healthy. I never said there are NO healthy meat alternatives. But I will say I could make that same burger using only ingredients that you actually know what they are. There is no reason to eat most of the ingredient that are listed in your choice of a veggie burger. Your burger list Expeller Pressed Canola oil, this uses hexane solvent wish is poisonous. It also list Sunflower oil, whis is considered a "cheap oil",and eating too much of these cheap oils can cause an abundance of Omega 6 fatty acids in our diets, which increases the risk of inflammation, heart disease, obesity, and prostate and bone cancer. So I am not fear-mongering, I just don't see how that is healthier than eating 4oz of locally sourced, organic chicken. Or making your own veggie burger with ingredients you can control and know what they are. Food should not read like a chemical science experiment.

    Expeller pressing is a mechanical process. It doesn't involve solvents.

  • Johnturner69
    Johnturner69 Posts: 8 Member
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    Expeller pressing is a mechanical process. It doesn't involve solvents.

    [/quote]

    Expeller-Pressed Canola Oil Is Naturally Produced. Expeller-pressed canola oil is produced by mechanically squeezing (pressing) the oil from the canola seed using a unique double expeller-press process. In North America, most canola processing plants use hexane solvent extraction to remove oil from the canola seed.