Vegans and omnivores alike have come to appreciate the lightly nutty flavor of soy milk.
So you've made the decision to become vegan. In order to fully transition to your new lifestyle, you'll probably want to find vegan substitutes for familiar foods. The good news is that it's much easier, and tastier, than you think. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Before your embark on finding vegan substitutes, it's important to manage your expectations. Just as you would not expect a banana to taste like a lentil, you should not expect vegan foods, like soy milk, for example, to taste like non-vegan foods, such as cow's milk. All foods are their own separate entities with their own special tastes. It's important to learn to appreciate them for what they are. Remember, humans are born with an affinity for sugar. All other tastes--like bitter coffee, sour lemons and pungent olives--are learned. Keep this in mind as you sample new tastes, textures and flavors.
2. To substitute milk, simply replace cow's milk with soy milk, rice milk or almond milk. Try several different brands until you find one you like. Vanilla soy and rice milk tend to taste more like cow's milk than the plain varieties. Soy milk now comes in an astonishing variety of flavors including eggnog, chai and chocolate. Many egg substitutes exist. The easiest, when baking, is to substitute 1 heaping tablespoon of flour and 1 tablespoon of water for each egg. Soy flour infuses baked goods with a moist, dense texture. Other substitutes for 1 egg include 1/2 banana; 1/4 cup soy yogurt or soy sour cream; 1/4 cup of silken tofu, blended well; and 1 tablespoon of flax seeds plus 3 tablespoons of water. You can also purchase ready-made egg replacer in most health food stores.
If you love cheese, you'll be glad to know that countless vegan cheeses are available--including vegan slices, vegan crumbles, and vegan blocks--in mozzerella, Americna, cheddar, edam, and pepper jack flavors, to name just a few. Many vegan cookbooks also provide recipes for homemade vegan cheeses.
The best substitute for butter is a product called Earth Balance. It comes in tub and stick form. In some cases, you can also substitue healthy oils like canola and olive oil. When buttering your bread, a healthier option is a "schmear" of mashed avocado. Unlike butter, avocados boast vitamins, countless minerals and phytochemicals, including cancer-fighting lignans, and they contain zero cholesterol.
Like ice cream? You're in luck. The grocery freezers are loaded with sumptuous soy and rice creams, sorbets and other frozen vegan treats. Many cities now even offer vegan soft serve.
3. If you had a hard time giving up the taste of meat, you'll be glad to know that these days, supermarket refrigerated sections are packed to the brim with mock meats like "fakin bacon," chorizo, keilbasi, veggie deli slices, burgers, ground sausage and hamburger style soy and chicken style strips, to name just a few. Use them just as you would use meat.
You can also purchase seitan, or wheat meat, in the refrigerated section. Use it as you would use meat chunks. It's easy and more economical to make your own seitan. Simply purchase a box of instant vital wheat gluten and follow the package directions. Virtually every vegan cookbook also offers recipes for flavored seitan. Seitan freezes very well.
4. Other versatile vegan proteins include tempeh --a fermented soy cake, and tofu, a firm, cheese-like cake, also made from soybeans. Eaten as is, they are tasteless, but they absorb any flavorings you infuse them with, making them versatile recipe bases.
To prepare tempeh, cut the tempeh cake into triangles or blocks and steam for 10 minutes. The marinate the tempeh in your sauce of choice (eg, barbecue sauce, olive oil and herbs, black bean sauce) for at least an hour or preferably overnight. Bake the tempeh in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, or fry the tempeh over medium heat about 5-7 minutes on each side.
Tofu works best if you press it before cooking. To do this, wrap the tofu in tea towels and then place it between 2 large dinner plates. Place 2 heavy books on top of the plates and let the tofu sit for 30 minutes. Replace the tea towels, flip and repeat. Then add a marinade and bake or fry your tofu, or use it in a recipe as directed.
5. Check out a few vegan cookbooks from the library. Read them cover to cover and get familiar with the terminology and new ingredients. Try a few new recipes each week. Before you know it, you won't consider vegan food a "substitute," you'll come to view it as a peaceful, healthy and easy way of life.
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