Jesus.....from all the comments mentioned above, just the thought of giving up beer and bacon.....I'd rather take a dirt nap..... Originally Posted by Russ38
You might try giving up the booze and fumar first...ijs Originally Posted by oilfieldscumAlready done. Tobacco free almost a month now. Alcohol was never a problem.
I am vegetarian, not vegan, but I am a chef and my culinary focus is vegan cooking. I highly recommend a cookbook called The Veganomicon, which really got me started into great vegan cooking that is delicious, filling, and nutritious!Thank you for the book suggestion ma'am.
Don't make the mistake of eating too many soy products or a primarily starchy diet. It will be great to cook lots of things yourself. Learn the wonders of dark leafy greens like kale and collard greens if you don't already have relationships with them. Most vegetables are excellent coated in olive oil and then roasted at 400 degrees F until golden brown and carmelized. Filling your fridge with indulgent and delicious salad ingredients to make your own custom salads (think beyond lettuce- beans and corn and fruit and nuts and avocados!) any time you want a snack is a great idea. Fresh or dried herbs and non-traditional oils are your friend. A vegan diet doesn't have to be devoid of fats. Many are healthy and I recommend a combination of safflower oil, coconut oil, and olive oil. Allow yourself to indulge sometimes as you will hate your diet otherwise and it won't be sustainable for you.
There is great vegan coconut milk ice cream out there. Soy yogurt is surprisingly tasty. Almond milk is my favorite vegan milk to work with. Make sure to look into nutritional yeast as a savory condiment so that you continue to get your B12's!
One soy product that is actually good for you, because it is fermented, is "tempeh". You can buy it at specialty grocery stores like Whole Foods. I like to cut it into half inch thick strips, marinade it in something I mix up from whatever I have around, usually something like olive oil, miso, maple syrup, soy sauce, juice of an orange, maybe a dash of liquid smoke, and let it sit for 20 minutes or even overnight or a few days in the fridge. Then fry the tempeh in a high-heat safe oil such as coconut oil or safflower oil, on medium-high heat (too low heat and they will fall apart) until they are golden brown. They should be crispy on the outside and hot-n-juicy on the inside. The tempeh is high in protein and tastes a bit nutty. It's my favorite vegan protein.
Enjoy the change! Originally Posted by spicyzoey
