Vegan Thread - Give peas a chance

I do remember our commodity economics teacher at uni telling us that coconut oil is bad for one's health. But maybe she was just a victim of outdated science? Either way, I try to avoid overly processed food.

*eats more biscuits*

Anyway, I probably wouldn't even mind going vegetarian, as I already enjoy cereals and legumes, and generally dislike beef. I'd miss pork sausages, but would get used to it eventually. Not full vegan though, I wanna be able to keep eating eggs and fish. And surimi. WHat was I saying about processed food again? Oh well.

When I lived in Brighton there was some great vegan/veggie options. Hippy bastards.

Some of the pop up kitchens in the pubs used to do vegan donners and burgers that were really tasty. There was a good 50/50 split for the meat eaters and the more conscious people.

I'm intolerant to nuts, lentils, chickpeas and regular peas. Not life threateningly allergic but I'll go super itchy and have stomach pains. So as much as I generally agree with not eating animals and such, it's utterly impractical for me to go vegetarian, let alone vegan.

We went vegan a couple.of years ago (was previously vegetarians). Wasn't too difficult, apart from cheese. Took a long time to find a half decent vegan cheese alternative.

Cutting out dairy and the limitations on cakes and biscuits did help me lose about half a stone from switching vegan

Point of pedantry: all of us are omnivores, it's only our diet that's variable. You can call yourself a carnivore when you rip the meat off of a wildebeest with just your teeth. The term for someone who only eats meat would technically be 'carnarian' but I think the reason that never caught on is that no one is crazy enough to stick to that diet except a particular faddish subset of gym bros and people with a list of food intolerances the length of the Bible.

Anyway, vegetarian here, been about twelve years now. I've definitely not been the most devout, as basically all of my favourite foods are meat, so I've adopted a simple rule: I'll eat anything that's either vegetarian or free. I hate to see food going to waste so I'll still take a tray of ham sandwiches home if they'll just be thrown into the trash otherwise, and if someone cooks me dinner I won't make a fuss if it's got a bit of meat in it. But everything I've bought and cooked for myself has been vegetarian at the very least.

I hear there's a ton of variation between people who try or want to give up meat. Some people just like it too much to be able to stick with it, some people feel lethargic and miserable if they go without, and some people develop deficiencies of one thing or another that apparently can only be fed by meat, so I don't begrudge anyone going veg. For me, it was the easiest thing in the world. Never been a fan of Quorn and such but I just kept eating what I usually did, bulked up with cheese, beans, rice or lentils if needed/where appropriate. Never got the sense that it was more expensive either, but then I don't eat all that much and any time I cook something I eat it for 3-4 meals, so if you don't do that I imagine it does dig into the wallet a little more.

Anyway, how about some recipe recommendations? My main source is www.budgetbytes.com which is not a vegetarian recipe blog but has a ton of great veg stuff regardless. My most-frequently-made meals are the lentil and vegetable soup, coconut curry lentils, parmesan roasted cauliflower, and white bean shakshuka. If I were less of a lazy bum I'd probably make something from The New Vegan too but I hardly have time for cooking as it is.

As a holier than thou dickhead my eating habits will change nothing environmentally, since I neither drive nor have crotchgoblins. I do buy from farm delivery places that at least claim to treat their livestock humanely, and it tastes very good indeed, and I shall continue to do so.

For those wanting to try some non meat alternatives that are already prepped these are some of the ones we buy again.

-Beyond Burgers (pricey but as an occasional treat I love them)
-This isn't bacon (it isn't, but it tastes good in it's own way)
-Viviera plant Greek style kebab (I do genuinely still miss a good doner kebab but this stuff is tasty with all the trimmings in a pita. Also possible it doesn't contain less meat than some kebabs I once ate at 2am)
-Zest Pesto (because Pesto isn't even really vegetarian I think. Costs a ton but lovely)
-Chicago Town Takeaway Vegan Medium Stuffed Crust Sticky BBQ Jackfruit Pizza (probably the best frozen vegan pizza we've tried and now a go to for a friend who doesn't often eat anything but meat)
-Like schnitzel (it's kind of like one)

In terms of tips to make tasty food yourself. If making Tofu I'd highly recommend marinading it first and leaving it in the fridge. Then put some cornflour in the tub and shake it around before frying it. Goes deliciously golden and crispy.

If you want to make a creamy cheesey sauce. Make a roux with vegan butter (Flora one seems the best) and flour, add cashew milk, mustard, some salt and some pepper. Then add a load of nutrional yeast once it's thickening. Goes great with whatever you want to use it with like a cauliflower cheese or in a pasta or Gnocchi dish. For best results chuck actual cashews in when making it and blend at the end of you can be bothered to dig out the blender you've never used since making some smoothies 4 years ago.

Hey, you wanta the pesca, tarian? Forgeddaboutit.

With the veggie stuff, especially the likes of beyond burgers and similar meat impostors I do worry a bit about the nutritional value and what the hell is in them.

More keen on making things from ingredients that I know what they are where possible. Beans and pulses for stews, actual vegetables and nuts...

Just like real burgers and sausages then

Plus a pile of rando chemicals probably.

I would not touch all that pea, lentil, soy fake shit. But do enjoy the odd veggie night making some fancy arancini balls for starter and a butternut squash curry. 

So shaping mushrooms into patties is wrong but shaping rice into balls is okay

I tried a Seitan Southern Fried Burger once. It was like biting into playdoh.