Mihow

Vegan What? Who? Why!?

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by

Mihow
in

I’m going to try vegan. At least for 30 days. I know! Why would anyone want to do such a thing in a world with cheese and bubble tea? I’ve no idea. I just want to give it a go. Mostly, I want to see how difficult it is. And I don’t plan on adding a bunch of processed vegan junk food into this diet. I am going to attempt to cook for my family.

This isn’t going to be easy because I have pretty serious addiction to milk-based bubble tea. Plus, I’m finding out that pretty much everything is made with some type of animal product. Take wine, for example. Most wine isn’t vegan and a lot of it isn’t even vegetarian. Everything is made with animal, even water.

Ok, not water. Although, I bet we’re drinking a fair share of little, microscopic creatures with every gulp. But they aren’t fuzzy and cute so who gives a shit, right?

So, yeah. Vegan. I’m going to try. Just for a month. Maybe. I hope.

Are you vegan? Were you vegan? Do you have any sites you’ve used? Books to suggest? I’m all ears! Learn me something, Internet. Or just call me stupid. I can handle that too.

Comments

17 responses to “Vegan What? Who? Why!?”

  1. Enia Avatar
    Enia

    Lady, I’m gonna give you a bunch of my vegan cookbooks since I have so shamefully fallen off that wagon. I have like the whole Isa/Teri cannon somewhere.

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  2. mihow Avatar
    mihow

    Awesome! Am I crazy to cut wheat too? Because I’m considering that as well.

    You should keep them, though. You never know! You might find it again in SF.

    ::sigh::

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  3. Katie Lee Avatar
    Katie Lee

    I posted this exact same thing today! Weird. I’m trying it for a month. Go to my blog and there are a few links to books that were helpful. Good Luck!

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  4. Taratory Avatar
    Taratory

    I was vegan for a few years, but I fell off the wagon. First it was chocolate, then cake, then cheese, then it was all over. Maybe I’ll get back to it one of these days. Good luck!

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  5. jen Avatar
    jen

    So worth it! You will feel like a million bucks. My favorite site is Peas and Thank You. Great recipes for families. And the book China Study. It will change your life!!

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  6. Julie Avatar
    Julie

    i’m going vegan(ish), too! ish because i still have cheese in my fridge and plans to cook fish/make ceviche in the next two months (my vegan trial time frame).

    SO, a cookbook. a few weeks ago i got the skinny bitch cookbook and it’s AHmazing. i don’t know about you but i was totally turned off by the title, or maybe more accurately embarrassed to ask someone at the bookstore to help me find that title.. but whatever. i asked, i found, i loved. i’ve pretty much eaten strictly from the cookbook and not had a single recipe that i didn’t like/found difficult to follow and that’s seriously rare, vegan cookbook or not.

    ALSO, i have an 11 month old along for the ride he’s totally chowing down on it all. i had to wrangle the curried tofu eggless salad away from him today! good luck! it’s totally doable and supah healthy!

    and finally- go here http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/ for a magagillion recipes.

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  7. Jules Avatar
    Jules

    I have been vegetarian for 16 years…vegan for 4 years, back to vegetarian now. With a vegan diet, I ate so many more vegetables (a wider variety) and learned a lot about vegan baking, vegan wines, all that good stuff! It also meant cooking just about everything at home, which has made me a much better home cook, that’s for sure.

    It’s hard to explain without sounding insane (or like a turncoat) but after 4 years of being a vegan, cheese was so much more flavorful and meaningful (every region’s got their own cheese, own methods, etc.)– I felt like I was tasting all of the world’s cheeses for the first time.

    I think Veganomicon is a great cookbook for anyone, there are some great recipes in there, and I’ll second all of Isa’s cookbooks and the Post Punk Kitchen recipe list.

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  8. Claudia Avatar
    Claudia

    I’m not a vegan but my husband has some undiagnosed food allergies so we’ve been eating vegan for months now. So I guess I’m an unwilling vegan :) The key I have found is to not substitute if possible. So, for instance, if you bake a cake don’t use the fake vegan eggs (never use those, they are terrible) but instead use one of the recipes that calls for vinegar. The only substitute that is okay is earth balance fake butter. Also, I think Rice Milk cooks a lot better than soy.

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    1. mihow Avatar
      mihow

      Claudia: when you say cooks better, baking wise? Do you mean the fake eggs that come in powder form? I’ve had some luck with those in past, just wondering!

      I think I’m gonna try and find a vegan baking class at my school. Maybe.

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  9. Katrina Avatar
    Katrina

    i’m not vegan but i do enjoy some recipes. my favorite site is oh she glows. that lead me to the healthful pursuit but hers aren’t all vegan. then i found chocolate covered katie, which are vegan baked goods.

    you could also go to foodgawker and look at the vegan recipes.

    i can’t do vegan 100%…it’s too expensive here to eat all healthy. :(

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  10. jenblossom Avatar
    jenblossom

    If you’re going to do it, this is the best time of the year for it. The farmers’ markets are going to bankrupt me! :)

    I’ll second the sources already mentioned in comments, and add two more suggestions – they are not from strictly vegan sites, but they are vegan-friendly:

    http://www.101cookbooks.com/vegan_recipes/

    http://www.healthygreenkitchen.com/?cat=136

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  11. Claudia Avatar
    Claudia

    Yeah, I have had luck with vegan baking. I had my daughter’s baptism and served a vegan cake and didnt tell anyone, and they were all raving about the cake. I honestly think it tastes just as good as the real thing. And no, I dont use the the powered egg substitute. I used this recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/vegan-chocolate-cake/detail.aspx

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  12. Agent Scully Avatar
    Agent Scully

    What I learned over the course of my vegan experiment is that going vegan isn’t about perfection but about doing the best you can.

    I find most recipes to be easily adaptable. If absolutely necessary, I use Earth Balance for butter. Eggs are easily replaced with apple sauce (my favorite), but I’ve tried ground flaxseeds with water and that has been fine. I’m loving using almond milk or coconut milk for my morning oats and I think that’s something that will stay with me no matter what dietary changes I’ll make in the future. (Seriously, coconut milk is so, so, so good.) And I’ve found that the 365 brand almond milk is hardly flavored and works well for baking.

    The one thing I have not given up is my wine. I know the wine I drink is strained using egg shells. But you know what? I’m not going to feel bad about it. I’ve given up meat. I’ve given up dairy. I’ve (mostly) given up my car. So I think I can keep my wine ;)

    Good luck!

    (Oh, and here is my Flickr page with recipes: http://www.flickr.com/photos/50887190@N00/
    These sweet potato biscuits were my staple the moment I started eating vegan: http://www.flickr.com/photos/50887190@N00/5666579103/)

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  13. Becky Avatar
    Becky

    You should take a look at Oh She Glows, she has some really amazing vegan recipies. I am not vegan or vegetarian but I find myself always going to this site for something good to make.

    http://ohsheglows.com/

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  14. Kidmock Avatar
    Kidmock

    http://Www.vegweb.com

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  15. Lauren Avatar
    Lauren

    Try “The 30 Day Vegan Challenge.” The author was a friend of a friend who recently passed away. In honor of my friend, and Vegan who was greatly influenced by author, I am going Vegan for a month as well. The book just launched on Tuesday, and you can find at 30dayveganchallenge.com

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  16. jamie Avatar
    jamie

    just wanted to chime in. i’m a sometimes reader here, also a mom with a toddler and a babe. i’ve been vegan since 2006, dairy free for even longer due to severe intolerance. i can honestly say that if one is willing to research and experiment a vegan diet can be totally wonderful and satisfying. vegan cooking/baking is not difficult, just different (and i have nothing against ‘ener-g’ egg substitute, its just potato starch). i make all kinds of very yummy stuff, including pizza, pesto, lasagna, tamales, thai and indian, cupcakes and even ‘cheesecake’, (and no one at my family christmas could even tell it was dairy-free) just to name a few of my favorites. i highly recommend veganomicon, vegan cupcakes take over the world, and the joy of vegan baking. and if you slip a little here or there, so what? i love kathy freston’s (read: quantum wellness) idea of ‘leaning into’ veganism. take small steps. experiment. all or nothing is pretty severe. enjoy the process and notice how you feel.
    hope its going well!
    i would be happy to answer any questions or chat with you about it!

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