Veganuary 5, 2023 - What do Vegans eat?
Veganuary 5, 2023
Hi Friends!
Thinking about changing to a vegan or plant-based diet can be daunting. While on some level you might feel it’s the right thing to do for your health, or the planet, or the animals, there are so many questions! One of the biggest concerns revolves around food. What do vegans eat? What about bacon? What about cheese? Can I really survive on a diet of ice cubes and parsley?
When you focus on what you can’t eat, it makes things much harder. Never eat bacon again!?! Forget about it! But if you focus on all the new and exciting foods you CAN have, well that’s a different thing altogether! These days there are vegan versions of just about anything you can think of - cheese, yogurt, milk, ice cream, meatballs, chicken and yes, bacon. In most grocery stores you can find delicious vegan versions of most foods.
BUT I’m wanting to focus on the OTHER amazing foods that are out there that you might not have noticed because you’ve been too wrapped up in meat and cheese. When was the last time you tried parsnips? collards? amaranth? Black lentils? There is a huge variety of delicious whole plant foods that you might not even have noticed.
It’s easy to get into a rut when it comes to food. For many years my grocery list was pretty much the same. I’d get the same types of foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I knew exactly where everything was in the store and I could get in and out quickly. Looking back on it, it's kind of weird because one of my favorite things to do is explore and try new foods. But for day-to-day life, I mostly just got the same things, until I went vegan and started rethinking what I ate.
I discovered many foods I had walked past in my rush to get the same old stuff. A purple carrot, are you kidding me? What’s a pomegranate and how does it work? There are other leafy green vegetables besides spinach and lettuce? Kumquat - you eat it skin and all, really?! There’s this whole world of new flavors and textures right there in the produce department. Not to mention the ethnic foods aisle with tasty treasures from different cultures. Better yet, check out some of our local family owned ethnic grocery stores! You might be surprised by how many we have in Columbia and the variety of foods you can find in them. TIP - Ethnic grocery stores are a great place to buy spices and herbs, they usually have a good selection and better prices than a standard grocery store. I’ve included a list below.
Don’t forget Columbia Farmer’s Market which goes all year round and features local, in-season produce grown by local farmers who are super excited to share their bounty with you. Don’t know how to prepare something? Ask your farmer they’ll be happy to help you.
Here are a few other ideas to help you make the switch.
Focus on what you can have, not what you can’t.
Try replacing meat, dairy and eggs with new fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, legumes and grains. Look for ways to switch out meats or dairy in your favorite dishes. Try lentils instead of meat in your spaghetti sauce. Try walnut meat in your tacos instead of ground beef. Switch out dairy cheese for a vegan cheese on your pizza. You can put ‘vegan recipe’ in front of any food in your internet browser and find all kinds of new recipes. These days there are loads of vegan recipes for just about anything.
The next time you’re at the grocery store, go to the produce department and pick one fruit or vegetable that you’ve never tried. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just get one or buy a small quantity. If you don't know what it is or what to do with it, Google it. For instance, you can put in ‘how do I prepare______’ and you’ll get many creative ideas. Try challenging yourself with one new item each time you’re at the store.
Try plant milk or plant based yogurt, cheese or butter instead of the dairy version. There are all kinds of varieties available these days, you’re sure to find something you like. I like unsweetened original soy milk for cooking and oat milk for cereal and tea. Tim’s favorite for dunking cookies is banana almond milk. So many options to choose from!
Explore new places like the Farmer’s Market and ethnic grocery stores. When the kids were little, we’d each choose a beverage and a snack that we’d never tried when we went to ethnic grocery stores. It’s a fun way to try new things and explore new flavors with little cost.
Lastly, always try two bites. When you’re trying new foods and flavors, sometimes things can taste sort of weird if you’re not used to the tastes and textures. I used to tell my kids the first bite is to get an idea of what the food is like and to expect. The second bite is to see if you enjoy it or not. That being said, as you start crowding out animal-based foods, your taste buds will change. Something that you didn’t like at first might taste great a few months later as your taste buds adjust to more subtle flavors.
Have fun exploring and view your new journey as an opportunity to learn and experience new things right in your kitchen.
I hope you find this interesting. Let me know if you have questions, I’m happy to help!
Resources -
Books - Here are a few books that really helped me up my vegan eating game. The first one is a cookbook. I love this book because it is very approachable and focuses on simple, easy to find ingredients and techniques. The other two are books focused on all aspects of veganism and they contain delicious recipes at the end of each chapter. TIP - When you get a new cookbook read all the information at the beginning and end of the book, the authors usually include a lot of helpful information about ingredients and cooking techniques. Also, when you’re trying a new recipe, always read it through twice to make sure you understand it and have all the ingredients on hand. This really helps improve your cooking.
Bad Manners: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck Michelle Davis, et al
Main Street Vegan: Everything You Need to Know to Eat Healthfully and Live Compassionately in the Real World - Victoria Moran
Fabulous Vegan: Look Good, Feel Good and Do Good in 30 Days - Jasmin Singer and VegNews Magazine
IG/FB Vegan Chefs - I follow lots of vegan chefs on social media. Here are a few of my favorites. TIP - Make sure you read the full blog post as they offer lots of helpful tips for techniques, ingredients and substitutions. Always read the recipe twice to make sure you understand and have all the ingredients you need. I usually halve the salt in recipes and add salt at the end if needed.
FB - It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken IG - @itdoesnttastelikechicken
FB - School Night Vegan IG - @schoolnightvegan
FB - Lazy Cat Kitchen IG-@lazycatkitchen
FB - Thee Burger Dude IG @theeburgerdude
Ethnic stores in Columbia
Sai Market - Primarily Indian - 2101 W Broadway in Crossroads Shopping Center
A&Y - Primarily Middle Eastern - 400 Business Loop 70 West
Shwe Market International Foods - 800 Vandiver Dr
Iyumva International Market - Primarily African and Carribean 705 Vandiver Dr Suite K
El Patron Tortillera - They make delicious fresh tortillas and carry some Mexican groceries - 711 Vandiver Dr Suite J
Los Cuates - Primarily Mexican - 2908 Paris Rd
Hong Kong Market - Primarily Asian 2006 E Broadway
Lee’s Market - Primarily Asian - 700 Cherry St Suite L
Los Comales - Primarily Mexican - 3510 I-70 Dr SE
Documentaries -
Food Inc - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGrpgPQFU3A
Plant Pure Nation - https://www.plantpurenation.com/pages/watch-the-film
Forks Over Knives https://www.forksoverknives.com/the-film/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA5NSdBhDfARIsALzs2EBI3CKhuEZs9kEre2_IOSSDMJSHScYZuJWiLj8lPfi0JNr8zWjoi2waAoQlEALw_wcB