Would like some advice on becoming vegetarian

[calico1]

I am in the process of trying to convert. At this point I am still eating eggs and a little cheese. I can do without milk. I don't know if I will become totally vegan but I do intend to not consume animal flesh anymore. I just can't do it anymore.

Any tips or advice would be appreciated. What kind of things do you keep in your cupboard as staples? What are some of your quick meal items? I bought a book on becoming vegetarian and am in the process of educating myself on nutrition and the myths surrounding vegetarians and vegans (not enough iron, B vitamins, protein, etc.). Any tips are appreciated. I figure the pros will know best. :)

[mzteris]

1. I'm not a pro -

and there are certainly others in here who ARE but as a very busy mom with a full evening schedule - here're some of the "staples" I keep on hand - especially to either prepare/cook/eat in 30 min or less OR to prepare and throw in the crockpot.

(We're "just" vegetarian, btw...)

PANTRY:
Pasta(s); egg noodles; rice noodles.
Rice
Beans: Black, navy, great northern, refried. (Make sure to read the labels if you buy canned to make sure they're vegetarian.....)
Other canned vegetables like corn or green beans.
TVP (Texturized Vegetable Protein)
Jars of Sauce.
Artichokes
Pimentos
Black Olives
Potatoes
Soups (creamed to add to casseroles, etc....)
Onions
Vegetable Broth
Bouillon - (I just found a new one that is GOOD - Better than Bullion).
Veggie gravy mix
Biscuit/cornbread mix.


FRIG/FREEZER:
Boca/Morningstar "crumbles". A few "patty types" for very quick meals ('burgers'/'chikfilets').
'Bacon', Riblets, Quorn Turkey roast, Tofurkey lunch'meat'.
Cheese, eggs, sour cream.
Broccoli (fresh is best, but also keep some in the freezer.)
Fresh veggies... especially MUSHROOMS! and peppers. and Spinach.
Frozen veggies
Tortillas
Applesauce (natural)


I've never been succesful cooking tofu or seitan. I don't even know where to start with tempeh. :(

Hope this helps! Good luck. It gets easier as you learn the ingredients so you don't have to read every single label every time you shop. :)

[livetohike]

2. First of all, if you haven't read Diet for a Small Planet and

Recipes for a Small Planet yet, please do. They are "classic" vegetarian info/cookbooks.

In my pantry: (stocked with the following at any one time)

Dried beans of all kinds
Grains of all kinds
Legumes of all kinds
Pasta (soba noodles, rice noodles, udon noodles, linguine, spaghetti, shells, etc)
Canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil, walnut oil
Vinegars (various kinds)
Flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda
Honey
Canned beans, all kinds
Canned tomatoes, diced, crushed and whole
Tomato sauce and tomato paste
Canned chilies, canned artichokes, canned olives (kalamatas, green, black)
Rice Dream and Soy milk cartons
Dried fruit (raisins, apricots, dates, figs)
Dried yeast and many, many dried spices

In the refrigerator:

Condiments (ketchup, various mustards, soy sauce, hoison sauce, mirin, sesame oil, cooking sherry)
Fresh veggies and fresh fruit (various)
Low fat sour cream, low fat cheeses (various), low fat yogurt
Grape jelly, raspberry jam, strawberry jam
Opened rice dream and soy milk
Egg substitute

In the freezer:

Frozen ravioli
Trader Joes chicken nuggets
Various frozen juices
Frozen limas, peas, green beans and spinach

This is what I usually have on hand. I plan my main meals a week ahead of time and make a corresponding shopping list.

If you took the time to read through my list, you will see that I am not a Vegan. I have been cooking Vegetarian meals since 1970.

There are many good recipes in the recipe thread, but if you like to read cookbooks, I suggest all of the Moosewood Restaurant series starting with Mollie Katzen's The Moosewood Cookbook.

[Debau2005]

3. Dried bean question

I am HORRIBLE at cooking dried beans. Does anyone have a secret? I can soak them for days and they are still hard when I cook them. I would love to have them as a staple, because they are a better value then canned or frozen.

Some of my staples are the Morningstar items, they are easy and fast meals when you are on the go. I also make extra of everything and freeze it for easy reheating. I live alone, so freezing left overs is not hard for me! ;-)

[flamingyouth]

4. The basic rule of thumb is 6 cups of water for 2 cups of dried black beans

Cook on medium high heat for about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the bean (test them). You only need to soak them overnight first, I don't think it matters if you soak them any longer than that.

If you have a pressure cooker, that's even better - they only take about 5 or 10 minutes to cook in there. :)

I love the cookbook "Vegan With a Vengeance" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Everything I've made out of that book has been excellent and economical. :)

[Debau2005]

13. Thanks!

I'll give it another go this weekend.

[livetohike]

5. I always use my crock pot for cooking dried beans

Just soak the beans overnight then drain and rinse them. Pour them into a crock pot and cover to within an inch of the top of the crock with water. I start it on high and after a couple of hours turn it to low; however, I have left it on high all day and when I get home from work they are done (and not mush).

If you forgot to soak the beans overnight, you can rinse them then cover with water and put them on the stove. Bring to a boil and boil for five minutes. Then take it off the heat, cover and let it sit for an hour before cooking it in the crockpot or on top of the stove.

Garbanzos (chick peas)are really hard to get tender. I usually just used the canned ones.

Split peas and lentils of course do not need soaked overnight.

[LeftyMom]

6. I do that too

Then I measure them into leftover Earth Balance tubs and freeze them in thier liquid if I want to keep them on hand (or I make black bean soup or chili or something and freeze it.)

[Debau2005]

14. I do love my crockpot!

Nothing is better then throwing in some ingredients in the morning and having a meal when you walk in the door after work!

[CrispyQ]

16. I cook beans differently for what I'm making.

If I want beans for in my salads or just to nosh on, I cook them in my pressure cooker. However, if I want refried beans or chili beans, I cook them in a slow cooker. The beans soak up the flavor better this way.

I love beans. If you are what you eat then I'm a garbanzo.

[LeftyMom]

7. I put some of my favorite recipes in my journal if you want to see them.

In terms of staples, things that I always have on hand are:

In cupboard:
flour, sugar, baking soda and other baking staples everyboody has
vinegar
nutritional yeast
a whole lot of spices
canned beans
canned tomatoes
canned peppers
rice
pasta
canned olives

in refrigerator:
soy milk, vanilla and plain
earth balance (a vegan butter substitute)
hummus
onions, carrots, salad mix, bell pepper, etc.
jar of sundried tomatoes in olive oil
olive oil
canola oil (non-GMO)
shoyu or tamari (non-GMO)
maple syrup
vanilla extract
seitan
veganaise
bbq sauce (it usually takes a fair bit of looking to find a vegan one)
salsa

in freezer:
yeast
veggie burgers
veggies
waffles
pie shells
some kind of dessert

If you have a specific question about veganizing a meal or a nutrition thing or something, please feel free to post it down here, I'd be happy to help with anything I know the answer to.

[calico1]

11. I checked out the pictures in your diary.

Great pictures. It was a segment about pigs that finally drove me over the edge. Liked the turkey picture too!

[peacebuzzard]

21. Hummus is certainly multi-purpose

and lasts for quite sometime in the refrig.

Not as long as the peanut butter--I tend to shun this humble staple. Although I like it on the organic Ritz crackers I purchase at times.

[Coventina]

8. My advice: spend some time & invest some $$ into buying a cookbook

Find one that fits into your tastes and abilities.

It will be worth its weight in gold.

That's what has worked for me. I have about 4 cookbooks that I do 90% of my cooking from. But always keep an eye out for recipes in magazines & newspapers as well. Sometimes they can become one of your "foundation" recipes.

I especially like cookbooks that include meal plans and shopping lists. Another feature I find helpful is easy substitutions or variations on recipes.

Good luck!!

[flamingyouth]

9. Your cats are beautiful, by the way

:D

[calico1]

12. Thank you.

The orange one is unfortunately no longer with me. He had a heart condition, according to the vet that was not something that could be diagnosed in a regular check up. We found him dead on the floor one morning back in May.:cry: He was a goofball and such a fun kitty.

[calico1]

10. Thanks to everyone for suggestions.

I have a question about nutritional yeast. How exactly do you use it? Do you just sprinkle it on food or is it used for a particular purpose?

[flvegan]

15. Hi!

First of all, congrats on your healthy dietary choice. Very cool. I second the responses you've already gotten about the cookbooks, etc.

Nutritional yeast is usually used to add flavor (some call it a "cheesy" or "buttery" flavor) and protein. You can sprinkle it on foods, but to me, it sort of dries it out (unless it's popcorn...it's awesome on popcorn). I blend it in with liquids. In addition to the added flavor, it's high in protein (as stated previously) and low in sodium. I find it to be one of those great "experiment with" ingredients.

[LeftyMom]

17. nutritional yeast makes pretty good cheese sauces and such

It's also used to add savoriness to dishes sometimes, for example adding a bit to a breading before frying something. Often it pairs well with shoyu or tamari in adding savoriness, and the salt of the shoyu can enhance the resemblance to cheese that nutritional yeast can add to a dish.

It's also a good source of B12.

[peacebuzzard]

18. I am a simple cook.

And do not overstock in the cupboard. I cook what I can eat in a day or two because of my schedule. (sometimes I am lucky to get a few more days at home......but increasingly rare)

That said...my cupboards are equipped with long range staples:


Canned organic beans
Canned organic tomato sauce
spaghetti
boxed soy milk
olive oil
instant rice
oatmeal
honey
coffee (of course...)
teas
organic crackers
nuts and dried fruit
soy margarine, soy mayo in the refrig

When ready to cook I purchase fresh from markets:
fresh veggies
fresh fruit
fresh refrigerated soy milk, soy yogurt, soy creamer (for coffee)
fresh baked whole wheat breads
tortillas for home made burritos and tacos

[Debau2005]

19. Have you found a decent

shelf stable soy creamer?

[peacebuzzard]

20. No. For emergencies

unfortunately I use the commercial brands (full of crap).

That is why I like to keep a box of the soy milk or the travel size at least (you can buy them in packs of 3s) in the cupboards.

But, sometimes, (and I travel extensively) on my way home from the airport I stop to pick up the fresh produce.

But, if it has been a stressed out trip, or it is late i skip the shopping and go straight home to my furry 4 legged kids waiting patiently for me.