The V Word
Over the years I've had a lot of variance in my diet. I've gone through stages where I couldn't get enough steak, and times when I couldn't stand the thought of fish. I've overeaten all-time faves until the thought of eating them made me sick. My tastebuds have changed and evolved and kept me guessing. I started to truly learn that I needed to re-assess what I "knew" once I started my 20's.
So in 2015 I started embarking on a meatless journey. This wasn't every single night. It was more of a "Meatless Monday" style. I slowly started decreasing the amount of meat in my diet. Was I eating meat because I liked it, or because I was used to it? Curious about this change in lifestyle and wanting to find good recipes to try, I took to the internet. Youtube and Pinterest sucked me in. The more recipes I tried and loved, the more I wanted to reduce my diet. Did dairy really play as essential of a role in my life as I thought it did?
Halfway through the year I was eating at least one vegan meal and one vegetarian meal a week. Killian was (unwillingly) embarking on this journey with me, being that I'm the chef of the house, so I would occasionally add a meat to his dish but leave it out of mine. But he willingly tried recipe after recipe and gave his honest opinion. We were surprised at how many we really loved.
It was during this time that I started working with a vegan. Mind you, she was a very healthy vegan, so she didn't purchase a lot of pre-made foods. But it helped me learn where to buy vegan products, how to check labels, and which brands were top-notch. I was super excited to visit my family in America and try more widely accessible products, as well as be around vegan and vegetarian family members.
For the best part of 6 months I ate a diet that I would classify as 90% vegan. I'd get a pork burrito here and a dairy hot chocolate there. I tried a ton of different products and learned that tofu really isn't for me at this point in time. But I also learned that shiitake mushrooms are one of the best things on earth. There are things that are surprisingly vegan, like Oreos, and surprisingly not vegan, like marshmallows (hooves, anyone?). But more than anything else, I learned that people hate the word vegan. Even some of the most understanding people I knew immediately turned up their noses and turned their backs on the idea. Still, any vegan meal they tried without knowing it was vegan, they enjoyed.
So what have I taken away from this?
I'm definitely not ready to go full-vegan. Still, the texture of meat is kind of freaking me out. There's things I haven't found a substitute for yet, that I love. Like ice cream, brie, and bacon. I'll continue my hunt, but for now I'll stick to the real deal. I'll keep eating a mostly vegetarian diet with a lot of vegan meals in the mix. When it comes down to it, food is food. If it's delicious, and you want it, eat it! Open your mind and try some new foods, no labels attached. No V-word. Eating vegan can also be a really great way to eat healthier! Don't be fooled though, vegan does not mean healthy. (sugar is, after all, vegan) With that being said, check out some of my favourite vegan meals below (some even Killian-approved!)
The Best Vegan Recipes,
As Tested By Non-Vegans
Courtesy of Hot For Food
This cheese tastes and looks just like real nacho cheese. Bonus? It's a hell of a lot healthier for you. Hot For Food has this one down pat. It's absolutely delicious on nachos, hot dogs, and veggies. But really, the possibilities are endless. (Thumbs up from K on this one)
Courtesy of Minimalist Baker
Ironically, the reason I am generally obsessed with Mexican food is the Americanised overload on cheese. But these enchiladas hit the spot while being guilt-free. I have made this for several people now, vegan and non-vegan, and every single one of them has fallen in deep, deep love. Check out the recipe on Minimalist Baker's blog.
Courtesy of Sweetened By Plants
Okay so I know the link above doesn't work any longer, but I did want to give credit where credit is due. This recipe got me hooked on making sushi at home. All you do is cut up some eggplant, cook it in soy sauce, and assemble like normal with avocado and cucumber! There's no need to worry about if you're cutting the fish correctly, or if it's fresh enough, or if you'll get sick from eating raw. You're getting your daily veggies in a super delicious way. Killian isn't a big fan of traditional sushi to begin with, so this is the perfect compromise for us. I also love replacing the eggplant with shiitakes!
Courtesy of The Endless Meal
When I make this "alfredo" sauce from The Endless Meal I don't think of it as an alfredo. I think of it as a cheese sauce for my pasta. That way I'm not expecting it to taste identical, but I can still enjoy the creamy, cheesy goodness that is this sauce. Fun tip: Use purple cauliflower for a dreamy coloured sauce that will wow guests!
Courtesy of Garden Grill
Beer battered avocado tacos. I repeat BEER BATTERED AVOCADOS. Hands down one of the best vegan meals I've had. This isn't technically a recipe, but they do have a list of what they put on their tacos. I'm currently experimenting at home, and once I have it perfected I'll make a blog post! If you can get your hands on one directly from Garden Grill, walk, don't run. (Their hibiscus tea, also pictured above, is to die for as well)
Courtesy of Smitten Kitchen
This is another of Killian's faves that my aunt got us hooked on! This farro dish tastes so dang cheesy, and uses a lot of veggies, plus the obvious grain farro. The recipe I've linked isn't the exact one she made, as this one suggests parmesan, but it gives you the idea.
Lust-Worthy Vegan Products
I also want to mention a few products. These are ready to go at the grocery store and can make cooking vegan meals a heck of a lot easier.
Kite Hill has a to die for ricotta. Honestly, better than the real deal. I prefer to eat it over spaghetti with a red sauce.
You will never need real butter again after you try Melt. I wanted to bring a suitcase back with me.
I could eat an entire package of Chao slices straight up. Also delicious on grilled cheese.
Don Lee has the best veggie patties. They have almonds in them, which is an absolute game changer. I honestly didn't think I could love a veggie burger. Super bonus? You can buy them in bulk at Costco.
Bragg liquid aminos and nutritional yeast. The perfect substitutes for soy sauce and cheese. These were kind of a staple in a lot of my cooking. Definite essentials.
So go out there, experiment with what works for you, and have fun!