Veganuary month

[Amyw Profile]

Sakkarin suggested I start a Veganuary thread , as I’m taking on the Veganuary challenge . Previously I was a pescatarian but the more I read about a plant based diet , the more it makes sense from an ethical , health and environmental point of view . I’ll be v interested to see what my results are like at the end of the month if I stick to it !!

To be fair first day , I feel fine . I’m at work so trying to not make eye contact with the box of chocolates . I think breakfasts will be fine , as it’ll just be substituting milk/yoghurt for plant based ones . I think I’ll just have to be a bit more organised with food prep , but that’s not really a bad thing , as I’m guilty of grabbing things on the run or wasting food .

So if anyone has any vegan suggestions/recommendations that’d be great . I’ll let you know how I get on

[Sakkarin Profile]

Look forward to seeing how you get on, there will hopefully be ideas for us non-veggies too. And there's no shame in backsliding, it's an enormous undertaking in my view!

Just remember that if you were having a go at being a Hare Krishna, you would have to give up onions and garlic too

[Amyw Profile]

Oh hell no ! Two of my favourite ingredients. Same as doing Dry January , never understood why you’d want to make the bleakest month of the year bleaker

[Lizzie-47 Profile]

You might find this list useful when you're craving treats! Although some double-checking may well be required.

https://academy.plantbasednews.org/blog ... vegan-food

Lizzie x

[MagicMarmite Profile]

I'm doing dry January, as Well as spending as little on food as I can get away with!
I have SCD live to look forward to on 1st February though so that'll get me through

[dennispc Profile]

Plenty of vegan chocolate on the market.

https://www.peta.org/living/food/defini ... chocolate/

You’re right about breakfast. Oats plus dried fruit and nuts is mine - in winter add water and microwave to make porridge. Works a treat for me.

Your soup thread should give you a lot of help. With your skills make your own veg stock and use instead of chicken or some commercial veg stock cubes.

One of our families was having a long weekend abroad in Air BnB and didn’t want to buy butter or spread only to have to leave it behind. So for the weekend they went without. Now I often do the same - slice of bread with just marmite, peanut butter, honey (which I know isn’t vegan) or jam.

It’s possible to make your own spreads - put some olive oil in a tub into the freezer. It will go solid and can be used as a spread once it’s slightly thawed - timing it right I didn’t find easy, so you may have to practise.

But I’m not a vegan, although my daily salad could easily be adapted, you need more ideas from vegans than I can give.

Hope that helps.

[Pampy Profile]

Just got this link from the Great British Chefs website https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/colle ... itishChefs
and more here https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/ ... an_recipes
and here huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/veganuary-recipes-easy-ingredients_uk_5c0f9357e4b08bcb27ec4a49?utm_hp_ref=uk-homepage

[Pampy Profile]

and another https://www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/re ... mail200102

[Amyw Profile]

Thanks guys for the links . Interesting how many accidental vegan foods there are .

Day 2 going strong . Apple slices with PB for breakfast , lunch was salad and balsamic dressing with veggie bacon , which was surprisingly OK, just missing that crunch factor .
Made a sausage one pot thing with Linda McCartney sausages (seriously good) , passata, garlic , paprika , onions, sweet potatoes and peppers with extra veg on the side . Dark choc to snack on



Quite fancy doing something Asiany soon with some tofu I bought.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Good luck with your Veganuary, Amy.
You will definitely be able to use hundreds of Indian recipes, at least!

[Pepper Pig Profile]

Part 2 for you Amy.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/j ... lan-part-2

[MagicMarmite Profile]

Amy, Ottelelghi's black pepper tofu is amazing, we love it.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Such an interesting project, Amy. Good luck.
Enjoy your dishes.
Have a look at Denis Cotter: http://www.deniscotter.com/recipes

some of his dishes are vegan, but not all. But I do like his recipes and they can be adapted.

My friend in Pamplona has gone vegan, for her well being. She's developed midlife problems, and wants to treat them with food.
We took her out for a meal, and she ordered a potato dish that looked vegan.
Chef had seen fit to adorn the meal with jamon, and expected her to pull the bits out.

She ended up ordering another egg dish, and ate the chips, but she didn't really want to eat like that. She can eat eggs of course, but that's not the idea.

When we left our usual "on holiday" tip at the table, our friends picked up the money and insisted on giving it back to us.
No tip!

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Dead right there, Gill.
I know there are a lot of folks out there who despise Veganism. Why? I fail to understand; it´s a choice, just like drinking scotch or driving a fast car.
When you go to a restaurant and ask for a vegan or vegetarian dish, however, there´s no excuse whatsoever. A chef/cook is supposed to be able to cater for all tastes. If he/she can´t do it, or can´t be bothered to do it, then go find another job!

[Amyw Profile]

I agree KKA. For me a meal should be well balanced with taste , texture and presentation irrelevant of dietary considerations. Hopefully most chefs would consider it a positive challenge to cook good vegan/vegetarian meals .

I did go to a local pub today for lunch . Unfortunately the only vegan options apart from chips were a jacket potato and beans or a vegan burger . However the vegan burger was amazing . Couldn’t tell the difference and came with vegan cheese and mayo too . Plus a free beer with every main meal ordered so always a plus haha

[MagicMarmite Profile]

The topic of despising, or at least being annoyed with vegans quite regularly comes up on another site I use, it did yesterday again, resulting in a long thread.
It started off as saying McDonalds vegan offering is awful, but many vegans came on to say they'd never eat there, being vegan is more than a diet, it's a lifestyle etc.
The counter argument was that sometimes Maccas is convenient, others in your group want to go, it's fine to eat junk and be vegan etc.
That's a quick summing up btw.
I honestly couldn't care less what diet anyone chooses, and I'll happily do my best to cater for it , just don't try to convert me to it.
(Mumsnet if anyone wants to look it up)

[Badger's Mate Profile]

I honestly couldn't care less what diet anyone chooses, and I'll happily do my best to cater for it , just don't try to convert me to it.

I think you've hit the nail on the head. Most keen cooks would see it as an interesting challenge to cater for all sorts of diets, but proselytising vegans (or veggies before them), low carbers etc, give a bad name to others who simply get on with their chosen diet. Similarly, those who claim to be subject to a dietary intolerance when they clearly are not, or insist they are veggie but then eat fish or meat can understandably cause irritation.

We have a number of friends who always require special consideration when catering. Some of them are a moving target, they inevitably need something different, but it changes on a regular basis.

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

Hi Badger's Mate

Although I agree that some of the low carb/keto fans can be annoying, not all of them are following that diet through choice, i.e. diabetics for instance! Although a keto diet doesn't suit all diabetics though, especially if they have high cholesterol or kidney/gout issues.

As far as veganism is concerned, I am not one myself but wouldn't have a problem with catering for one provided they are happy to agree to disagree on the subject.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

I´ve had three dietary "challenges" in the past year and have enjoyed every one of them.
The first was to cook for the 1st Secretary of the Indian Embassy. He and his wife are strict vegetarians, and will not eat onions or garlic. Saag Aloo hit the spot.
The second was a birthday party for a client who is a body-builder. She is allowed 50 gms of protein every 4 hours. Thank goodness for Ahi Tuna!!
The third was a Baptism party. One of the guests can´t eat eggs or anything dairy; another two won´t touch salads or the majority of vegetables. Chicken in coconut sauce, basmati and a plateful of Chole for them!!
It merely takes a little time to think what you´re going to cook, and maybe do a little investigation beforehand. The rest is easy - make sure the food is appetising, well-presented, well-cooked and tasty.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

Amy, these Veganuary recipes have just come through to my Inbox from The Times. I’m not a subscriber and I seem to be able to open them so hopefully you can too.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/magazine/the ... 290249_106

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/magazine/the ... 290249_106