Vegan Food & Cooking FAQ
Posted by admin on Aug 20, 2007 · Member since Apr 2003 · 167 posts
Please use this thread to post frequently asked questions and answers. If you have a question and are looking for an answer that isn't listed here, you can use the Search function on the left to try to locate the answer. If you can't find the answer, you are more than welcome to start a new topic with your question.
Q: do you ever get tempted to eat meat? and how did your close friends and family re-acted when they found out that you turn yourself as a vegetarian?
meat: hell to the no... dairy sometimes but i remind myself that it has animals in it and my ethics are more important than my cravings... as far as family and friends: you're always gonna have the idiotic comments, but my family was supportive and many have been trying to eat less meat or eliminate it completely themselves... but it's your life fuck the haters and do what's best for you!
Thanks Amy, you've been a help. Im not really a vegetarian. I love to eat vegetables tho. I have couples of friends that are vegetarian. Sometimes its kinda hard coz i have to think about them when we eat out.
Q: do you ever get tempted to eat meat? and how did your close friends and family re-acted when they found out that you turn yourself as a vegetarian?
Vegetarian: my parents were fine. Vegan: they thought I was totally weird. Nobody else in the family understands, either, and they all act like I'm an alien. But somehow I'm the only one that doesn't have heart disease or diabetes or whatever health problems they're dealing with...
I'm not tempted to eat most meats, although we were out for sushi with friends and I really missed me some awesome fishy sushi. It's been the first time since I went vegan that I felt tempted by anything.
I did miss meat at first, but the longer I was away from it, the less that was true. A couple of years ago, I was at a relative's house and she was baking chicken legs (I know, gross already). Anyway, it smelled like old garbage and I went to empty the trash, only to discover that wasn't the problem. No one else smelled anything, just the chicken. My point is that now even the smell is gross to me.
I am very NEW to all of this, my little 1 year old has some serious food allergies and we are now getting to know all about a vegan life style. I have what is probably a stupid question. In many of the recipes I see nutritional yeast- I am a big bread maker so I know what yeast is, but I am just wondering about nutritional yeast how it works and such. Also can I find that in health food stores?
I am very NEW to all of this, my little 1 year old has some serious food allergies and we are now getting to know all about a vegan life style. I have what is probably a stupid question. In many of the recipes I see nutritional yeast- I am a big bread maker so I know what yeast is, but I am just wondering about nutritional yeast how it works and such. Also can I find that in health food stores?
It is nothing like regular yeast... It's yellow in color, flakey. I find it in the bulk bins at the health food store. It gives food a "cheesy flavor'
If you make a normal 'white/bechamel' sauce, sans cheese, add a tablespoon nutritional yeast and it males it 'cheesy'.
It also has LOTS of B vitamins and ogther nutritional benefits, depending on the bath/source/freshness.
i like fired fish
Q: do you ever get tempted to eat meat? and how did your close friends and family re-acted when they found out that you turn yourself as a vegetarian?
Since my diet was kinda "forced" *** on me due to health, my friends/family were really cool with it actually. Some of them forget, but some of them will even check labels and tell me "that's got *insert animal bits here* in it, just wanted you to know!" at our potlucks!
There has also been increased instances of "OMG that was yummy can I have the recipe? What do you mean it's vegan??!! No way!"
***At first, but I liked it, and ran with it, and I have the kindness and support of the awesome VEGWEBBERS to thank for that!
Found on a comment section of a recipe:
How to make Homemade French-Fried Onions
Homemade french fried onions are really good and really easy. Slice onions thinly and let soak in ice water for 1 hour. Meanwhile, mix 1/2 c. flour with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Thoroughly dry the onions when finished soaking. Heat canola oil and fry until golden and crispy. Drain fried onions on a cooling rack instead of paper towels for effective drainage.
Thanks to VWer BalboaLust for this!!
Another good tip in a comment on the Thanksgiving Meatloaf recipe:
hope this helps for VEGAN ONION SOUP MIX problems.
ONION SOUP MIX
4 TBSP. dry minced onion
1 TBSP. onion powder
2 TBSP. veggie bouillon or 4 cubes
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. sugar
Another good tip in a comment on the Thanksgiving Meatloaf recipe:
hope this helps for VEGAN ONION SOUP MIX problems.
ONION SOUP MIX
4 TBSP. dry minced onion
1 TBSP. onion powder
2 TBSP. veggie bouillon or 4 cubes
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. sugar
Sounds great! Can't wait to make this recipe.
Found on a comment section of a recipe:
How to make Homemade French-Fried Onions
Homemade french fried onions are really good and really easy. Slice onions thinly and let soak in ice water for 1 hour. Meanwhile, mix 1/2 c. flour with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Thoroughly dry the onions when finished soaking. Heat canola oil and fry until golden and crispy. Drain fried onions on a cooling rack instead of paper towels for effective drainage.
Thanks to VWer BalboaLust for this!!
I assume you are supposed to put the onions in the flour at some point? ;)
Must apple cider vinegar be refrigerated? I bought some Bragg - raw unfiltered. It said does not need refrigeration. However, I started noticing something in it - not growing just floating in there. Is that normal? It seems to still be doing that after refrigeration.
Must apple cider vinegar be refrigerated? I bought some Bragg - raw unfiltered. It said does not need refrigeration. However, I started noticing something in it - not growing just floating in there. Is that normal? It seems to still be doing that after refrigeration.
Yes, it's normal. That's the "mother"--the "starter" if you will of the vinegar. In a sense, vinegar is already "spoiled"...it's cider or wine that has turned sour because of bacterial growth. That's the mother, which they put in there on purpose to make the vinegar. Refrigeration won't change it but it can make it look cloudier because it "settles." Don't worry, it's supposed to be there.
Must apple cider vinegar be refrigerated? I bought some Bragg - raw unfiltered. It said does not need refrigeration. However, I started noticing something in it - not growing just floating in there. Is that normal? It seems to still be doing that after refrigeration.
Yes, it's normal. That's the "mother"--the "starter" if you will of the vinegar. In a sense, vinegar is already "spoiled"...it's cider or wine that has turned sour because of bacterial growth. That's the mother, which they put in there on purpose to make the vinegar. Refrigeration won't change it but it can make it look cloudier because it "settles." Don't worry, it's supposed to be there.
Thanks Yabbitgirl.
I have tried several brands of rice/soy "milk" with most ending up going down the drain. I see the uses in cooking but no one in the house is actually going to drink it. I can make myself drink almond milk, DD won't but might drink the Silk brand coconut milk she tried but I don't like it for drinking. Can I use that in cooking instead of canned coconut milk? I keep eyeing some of the recipes for baked goods but don't want to throw most of the soy milk away. Can I freeze it in say, 1 c. containers?
Dried fruit tip: When using any dried fruit such as raisins etc. in cooking, soak them in a cup of hot tea while preparing the other ingredients. It plumps them up nicely, makes them easier to chop and gives them a nice flavour. You can also drink the fruit-flavoured tea afterward, which will be nicely sweetened without adding sugar!! I use black tea, I don't know how it would go with green but if you're used to the taste it should be fine.
I have tried several brands of rice/soy "milk" with most ending up going down the drain. I see the uses in cooking but no one in the house is actually going to drink it. I can make myself drink almond milk, DD won't but might drink the Silk brand coconut milk she tried but I don't like it for drinking. Can I use that in cooking instead of canned coconut milk? I keep eyeing some of the recipes for baked goods but don't want to throw most of the soy milk away. Can I freeze it in say, 1 c. containers?
the short answer is NO, canned coconut milk (atleast the ones I have used) tend to be thicker and without the extra additives that are usually in boxed coconut milk. It won't taste the same, and won't have the same thick texture. You COULD add say cornstartch or some other thickener to it, but again it still won't taste right.
If you're looking for coconut milk that might taste better, there are a couple recipes on this site for it, I myself have one posted on raw coconut milk, which is absolutely yummers + can be used for cooking. However another alternative is to use coconut chips to make milk (not dried coconut thats sold in bags, its defatted and sweetened) Take like 1 cup coconut chips and 3-4 cups boiling water in a blender (high hp like a vitamix works better but regular will work but takes longer) and process until very creamy looking. Strain if needed and drink, you may need to sweeten to taste and add a pinch of salt.
As far as rice milk and soy milk. I make my own soy milk and add coconut to it, it makes an amazing cocosoy milk that everyone in my house enjoys, I'll try to post a recipe for it soon. Try hazelnut milk also. Its sold in the nonrefridgerated section of most health food stores like whole foods. The pacific brand is really food, espcially the chocolate kind (can't remember if its vegan though, i think it is).
sorry if thats not a good answer :(
I have tried several brands of rice/soy "milk" with most ending up going down the drain. I see the uses in cooking but no one in the house is actually going to drink it. I can make myself drink almond milk, DD won't but might drink the Silk brand coconut milk she tried but I don't like it for drinking. Can I use that in cooking instead of canned coconut milk? I keep eyeing some of the recipes for baked goods but don't want to throw most of the soy milk away. Can I freeze it in say, 1 c. containers?
the short answer is NO, canned coconut milk (atleast the ones I have used) tend to be thicker and without the extra additives that are usually in boxed coconut milk. It won't taste the same, and won't have the same thick texture. You COULD add say cornstartch or some other thickener to it, but again it still won't taste right.
If you're looking for coconut milk that might taste better, there are a couple recipes on this site for it, I myself have one posted on raw coconut milk, which is absolutely yummers + can be used for cooking. However another alternative is to use coconut chips to make milk (not dried coconut thats sold in bags, its defatted and sweetened) Take like 1 cup coconut chips and 3-4 cups boiling water in a blender (high hp like a vitamix works better but regular will work but takes longer) and process until very creamy looking. Strain if needed and drink, you may need to sweeten to taste and add a pinch of salt.
As far as rice milk and soy milk. I make my own soy milk and add coconut to it, it makes an amazing cocosoy milk that everyone in my house enjoys, I'll try to post a recipe for it soon. Try hazelnut milk also. Its sold in the nonrefridgerated section of most health food stores like whole foods. The pacific brand is really food, espcially the chocolate kind (can't remember if its vegan though, i think it is).
sorry if thats not a good answer :(
OK, no cooking with boxed coconut milk. I have a food sensitivity to chocolate (big irony, born in Hershey) Can I freeze soy milk form the carton until I need it? I have done without liquid dairy since the late 70's when subs were really bad and never developed a taste for them so I would rather do without m"ilk" on cerial and in most table uses than use alternatives. I am simply trying not to waste what I buy.
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