Can You Handle Vegan Cooking

Next week is Thanksgiving and with that the stress of catering to everyone's dietary needs. One of the most flummoxing  - at first - is cooking vegetarian or vegan for those herbivores in your life. It can be a bit of a shock - especially when you try to recreate meaty main courses.

To begin with know the difference between veganism and vegetarianism. Vegans eschew all meats and their dairy byproducts. That means all meats and fish are taboo but also cow's milk, butter any and all kinds of cheeses. That also means no eggs either which can ruin your making any holiday cake or custard along with sweet breads. Vegetarians are a bit more lenient.There are the lacto kind that do allow themselves milk, cheese and yogurt. Some also include butter too. The ovo-vegetarians will not reject any eggs or foods that have them.  The most common type are the lacto-vegetarians which allow both dairy and eggs - and that makes cooking and baking for them a bit easier. There's also the pescatarian whose diet only allows fish and the pollotarian who can eat any fowl. The flexitarian swings back and forth with his or her beliefs. They many only eat meat on special occasions such as holidays.These are not considered real vegetarians like the hard core ones. They also will not make Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's a headache for you. The others will, which means special care when shopping and cooking. Luckily you can find substitutes that will facilitate cooking and baking.

One of the most eye opening is the main course. Tofurky will not have the rich gamy taste of a real turkey and neither will the gravy have the same flavor as the its' real counterpart.. How do you make it palatable.?There is a recipe online that suggests marinating it in vegan beer (Budweiser can be used). Another - and maybe better idea is using the Gardein brand. It and its' accompanying gravy tastes the most like turkey and gravy. The only downside is that there are only four slices and two gravy packets per package. It's fine for two vegans but forget a group. Then there's cooking it which is extra work if you're also making a turkey. Best bet is get out the air fryer which nicely cooks and even crisps the slices. Another headache is cooking for pescatarians. What could work for them? Salmon or halibut with a sheet pan of  veggies. A hearty bouillabaisse with crusty baguettes could also be made. This is a very labor intensive. Not only does the stew have to be made but the accompanying rouille which is the sauce added to every bowl. One of the hardest aspects of vegan meals is baking. Imagine not adding milk, butter and eggs, essential for every cake and cookie recipe. Nut and soy milks do come in handy - as do vegan butters. You can sub in coconut oil for as well and it also works well in creating a faux buttercream. Applesauce also works too , just don't get the chunky kind. There are also egg substitutes as well as aquafaba for creating meringues and Pavlovas. Just bake tester ones first to see if everything gels. It's a lot of work but worth it. If not, just serve fruit.


Can you handle vegan cooking and baking? It's different and will put your tried a true recipes on their heads. Going meatless is noble. Cooking and baking without animal products is daunting. Be sure you're ready for it.

From Meat To Meatless

Many people want to go vegan or at least vegetarian but can't.It can be kind of daunting giving up the meats they love for -soy.What starts out as a noble dream to save animals and help the earth goes flat when faves such as bacon and chicken wings have to go. The best bet is to ease into the lifestyle. Don't go cold turkey when you're craving turkey.

The first step is to test yourself. Try a day or two without any red meat.This will be hard for hamburger and steak lovers. Think chicken and veggie burgers. If that works then eliminate poultry as the second part of the journey to go meatless.Some people become pescetarians - only eating fish and seafood. They still get protein but it's all from the sea  - not the land. They can still eat eggs and dairy so the diet is more of a Mediterranean. It is healthier however but can be a bit costly, thanks to the market price of some fish and crustaceans. If that's the case, then have fish twice a month or look for specials.The diet has many benefits.such as maintaining good heart health.Another perk in an all fish diet is that is staves off macular deterioration, a degenerative eye disease.It can also strengthen lungs and prevent Alzheimer's disease.Pescetarians also enjoy healthy hair skin and nails too as a bonus benefit.

Once you've eliminated most of the meats, it's now easier to wean yourself off fish. Remember that vegetarian and vegan are two slightly different practices. Vegetarianism allows for dairy and eggs, veganism doesn't. If being a vegan sounds too severe for now, than try the other. Many have a hard time giving up omelets and eggs sunny side up. Then there's the ice cream dilemma. You  do have to acquire a taste for soy and coconut milk ice cream.It's delicious but doesn't have the lush mouth feel of the real deal.Again make it a slow transition. Some vegans went the vegetarian route before completely shunning animal products. Luckily , many stores such as Stop & Shop and Acme have a wide range of vegan and vegetarian products. The most popular and varied meatless brands are Morningstar Farms and Gardein. These are my go tos for creating a wholesome and filling no meat meal.Morningstar Farms has soy beef crumbles which I use in my chili and Bolognese sauce. Their chicken strips are the backbone of my chicken mole. I've just discovered Gardein's soy Fish fillets and they're remiiscent of Mrs. Paul's. I look forward to trying their faux crab cakes.

You can go from a meat filled diet to a meat free one. It's just doing it in steps and ending at veganism. Along the way , you find new dishes and recipes that are good for you and good tasting. You'll forget aoo about meat once you do.