The Vegetarian & Vegan Thread

[Neely]

Please don't tell me this thread is dead!
Here's a nice little bump..
My dinner was amazing tonight. I made a delicious lentil loaf (recipe). And even though I don't usually enjoy vegans foods that imitate meats ie gardien soy meats, this lentil loaf contains no soy and is very yummy.
So I'd like to ask, what new vegan discoveries have you had lately? This could pertain to food, beauty products, clothing, and more!
Love to hear what's new

 

[Rova]

^I rediscovered wheat germ. This is superfood for real! I used to eat a lot of it growing up.

I my new vegan chapstick from Yaoh.

 

[dauphine]

I love soy sauce, you know it's naturally high in MSQ, and so are tomatoes, so anything tomatoe-y that I make gets a generous squirt of Soy Sauce in it, and sometimes Fish Sauce, since anchovies go great with tomatoes too (i'm not very strict with myself about animal ingredients).

 

[Neely]

I also have probably an unhealthy obsession with nutrional yeast. Any pasta, salad, stirfry has at least a heapy tablespoon! It's great for its B12 content, potassium and is a complete protein! Yummy on popcorn and a staple in kale chips and mac and cheese !

 

[paz2992]

Has anyone here know anything about Quinoa/quinua is some kind bean/seed that is very produced here in south america (specially in Peru and Bolivia according to wiki ) and it works really good adding some extra proteins that you miss from not eating meat. i read it has about 15% to 20% of pure protein and it's so diverse you can cook it with almost everything, salty, as a dessert, in your salad... etc. (besides it can be cooked easily just like rice)

I bought a package of Quinoa last friday and now i'm searching the network for some ideas or recipies i could do with this really awesome seed. any suggestions? has anyone try it or eats it usually?

 

[Rova]

^ I didn't like it so much until I bought one that said "rinse in lukewarm water before cooking". I had no idea you should do that...

When you rinse it first, the bitter taste goes away.

Some might be processed already so that they won't taste bitter but the ones I buy need rinsing. Sometimes I like the bitter taste but most of the time it tastes much better without it...

 

[cold_sun]

Its my go-to-breakfst apart from oatmeal and smoothies!
I usually mix about 6-7 tablespoons with dried goji berries, mulberries, aronia berries and a couple of almonds. I boil up a bit more than a cup of unsweetend almond milk, stir it in and let it cook for about 10 minutes. During the summer months I usually had it with fresh strawberries and coconut flakes. So, so good!

 

[paz2992]

^^yeah i read you have to wash it first... like when you do to rice before preparing sushi... but other than that seems a really easy process, the rest is cooked like in 5 minutes.

 

[Jinadaze]

I like quinoa very much, it's often on my menu. I prepare it with similar combinations like rice (which I don't like so much, I find quinoa and even bulgur much tastier); like with vegetables, tofu etc.

 

[dauphine]

I like quinoa, but it's kind of costly for what it is. I've been making lentils a lot though and those are good + have a lot of fiber.

 

[fashionista-ta]

Btw that bitter thing with quinoa is its natural protection mechanism to discourage eating it

 

[paz2992]

^really? given all the proteins and nutrients it has... is like it doesn't want to be eaten? what a selfish little seed

 

[Rova]

I can't find anything to replace cream in my coffee... I've tried soymilk but that's more like milk and I really hate milk in my coffee.

This is actually a big problem : )

 

[mie]

^ Do you mean that you'd like something a bit richer than soymilk? There are soy creamers out there. But may I suggest coconut milk (not the very dilute kind in cartons) or coconut cream? Rich and a delicious warm-nutty flavor, without being too coconutty.

 

[Rova]

Thank you : ) I'll try the coconut cream when I find it!

Yes, something richer and if possible closer to the taste of cream. I used something creamy made from oats (I think) but that one was too sweet. Cream is a bit sour as well...

I don't believe any cows will be spared if I give up cream in my coffee but it's the one thing that makes me hold on to dairy.

 

[Ashcottmanor]

Just have to say, I'm loving this maple bacon tempeh. It's really good as a substitute for a BLT or on a salad.

 

[cold_sun]

I bought wheatgrass powder today, its been praised on so many health pages and blogs, do you have any experiences with it ?!

 

[Jinadaze]

^really? given all the proteins and nutrients it has... is like it doesn't want to be eaten? what a selfish little seed

Rova, have you ever tried soy cream instead od milk? I like it very much but you cannot whip it.
Though I hate soy milk (and yogurts), I prefer rice one.

 

[dauphine]

I prefer soy milk in my coffee even though i am not 100% vegan. I don't much care for milk.

 

[Rova]

Jinadaze, no I don't think I have... My local store is a small one and there aren't many vegetarians here so I doubt they have soy cream, but I found it online now.
What brand do you like?

Speaking of the little selfish devil, this online vegan shop has quinoa milk : )
There's also almond cream and dry (powder?) milk of various nuts or sesame.

I can't remember ever tasting milk of almond or sesame... I guess it's not something that goes with coffee, or?

The cream I'm using has 40% fat. I don't like the cream that's actually for coffee and that one has 12 %. Conclusion -I'm addicted to caffeine and fat?