East Meets West Veg: transitioning

Showing posts with label transitioning. Show all posts

Chef Roberto Martin and Ellen DeGeneres

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I wanted to share another great video to help with your Thanksgiving meal planning. In this video from the Ellen Show, Ellen DeGeneres's Chef Roberto Martin shows how to create your own vegan turkey-less roast and some ideas for side dishes. I have put links to some Thanksgiving recipes from Ellen's website below the video. I found her website to be a little difficult to navigate if you are specifically trying to find Thanksgiving recipes so here you'll have them all in one place.

Salads:

Quinoa and Cranberry Salad (This is a great recipe to bring to Thanksgiving when you are the only vegetarian and you want a healthful, protein-rich food that you can eat and share with the omnivores at your gathering)

Grilled Apple and Pear Salad

Mixed Greens with Grilled Persimmons, Pomegranate Reduction and Toasted Hazelnuts

Main Dishes:

Turkey-less Roast

Quick Mushroom Gravy (not a main dish, but it goes with the roast)

Vegan Pot Pie (This recipe uses a vegan chicken substitute. If this bothers you, just replace the vegan chicken with extra vegetables and you have a main dish that doesn't try to mock a meat dish in any way)

Sides:

Stuffing

Vegan Mashed Potatoes

Garlic and Chive Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Yams

Roasted Carrots and Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Butternut Squash and Yams with Caramelized Leeks

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Sicilian Collard Greens with Pine Nuts and Raisins

Desserts:

Pumpkin Pie

Pecan Pie

Mixed Berry Cheesecake

Oven Roasted Banana Rum Cheesecake with Spiced Pecan Crust and Maple Rum Sauce

The Compassionate Cook - Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

I don't know about you, but now that it's November I can't stop thinking about Thanksgiving. I have been doing a little research into Vegan Thanksgiving dishes and I came across this excellent video from one of my favorite cookbook authors, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. I think this video will help those of you planning your own vegan Thanksgiving meal as well as those of you who might have a vegetarian or vegan coming over for the holidays.

I love when she says "just because we've always done something, doesn't mean we have to keep doing it."

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is so much more than just a cookbook author. She has a podcast, makes videos (one of which I found at a local library), runs the 30 Day Vegan Challenge and more. She is an advocate for animals and makes veganism delicious and easy for all of us. Browse her site, where you can also get my favorite of her books, The Joy of Vegan Baking.

World Vegan Day was November 1st and veganism got a little more attention than usual. When I came across 'Becoming Vegan: 12 Tips from the Experts' from none other than Reader's Digest, I almost had to pinch myself. Really. I even love how it starts out - "Vegan's not just a buzzword." It took Reader's Digest to inform me that more American's consider themselves vegans than vegetarians. Wow. Although this article is about going vegan, I think that these are great tips for going vegetarian AND for those of us who already are vegan or vegetarian. Though I've been vegan for years now and vegetarian for even longer, I found out new information from Becoming Vegan: 12 Tips from the Experts. Here are a few of my favorite tips they give with a little of my own input on each one:

# 1. Go at your own pace. I think this is a great tip because going vegetarian or vegan can seem overwhelming, if not impossible, to some people if they have to do it overnight. Being vegan is easy once you know the tips and tricks, but if you're clueless it can be crazy hard. It's good to give yourself some time to figure things out. That said, this tip only works for some people. For many people, finding out what happens to animals or just how devastating the impacts of a non-veg diet can be on the environment or their own health, it becomes impossible to continue living the way they were when they were totally ignorant. If you are one of these people, I suggest you really focus on tip # 4 and tip #12 below.

# 4. Find a vegan support group. I think the phrase 'support group' can have a negative connotation, but the idea behind this tip is still pretty right on. Changing the way you eat can be a big deal and it's possible that people around you will feel threatened or feel like you are turning your back on tradition or them when you're really just trying to make a positive impact on the world and yourself. People can be judgmental when they don't understand something. You need some cheerleaders in your corner who get what you're trying to do. It's great if you know someone already and maybe they can introduce you to some of their friends, but if you don't there are still plenty of options for you. Try to find a Vegan group in your area, such as through meetup.com or a local group like VegMichigan. In addition to local groups, you can also find yourself an online group of virtual cheerleaders. Search out some online vegan groups or vegan blogs. You will find a lot of vegans on facebook, pinterest, instagram, twitter, etc. Without a doubt, you will find someone who knows of some resources, recipes, restaurants, etc. that you didn't know about no matter how hard core of a vegan you may already be.

# 12. Get resourceful! Case in point. I did not know about half the resources presented with Tip #12 in the Reader's Digest article. There is so much helpful information out there, get searching. This is the best time there has ever been to find information on anything you want - including going vegan. I have shared a few links on my website of sites I have found helpful, but there are TONS and tons more. Whatever you are looking for, do a search. If you're still having trouble, ask someone from your vegan 'support group.'

Going vegetarian or vegan can seem overwhelming, but with the right support, it can be easy as (vegan) pie. Even mainstream media outlets such as Reader's Digest are now willing to help you make the transition! Whether you are just considering ways to incorporate more vegetarian/vegan options into your diet or you are a long-time vegan, check out these great tips from Reader's Digest.

Quinoa with Fresh Vegetables and Herbs

Tonight we had a very fast, simple and healthy dinner. It was one of those 'we need to clear out the fridge and we need to eat right away' type of dinners. Since quinoa cooks in only 15 minutes and goes well with all vegetables and herbs (what was filling my fridge), I knew this would be the perfect combination to meet our needs. If you are not familiar with this ancient superfood of the Incas, it is a versatile seed that is usually treated as a grain and can often replace rice or other more familiar grains in dishes. It's quick cooking time and excellent nutrition have made it very popular as of late.

A lot of vegetarians, especially new vegetarians, like quinoa because it is a complete protein and is packed with minerals and nutrients. It is a good source of protein, iron, fiber, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium. It's also a source of vitamin E and calcium. Quinoa has a low Glycemic Index (GI) ranking. Of course, it's also cholesterol free as all plant foods are, and is low in fat, with no saturated fat or trans fat. I found some of this information by looking at the Self Nutrition Data for Quinoa. You can see the amino acid profile and amounts of each nutrient there.

This is not really a recipe, but describing it in a paragraph didn't feel right so I wrote out the steps I followed to give you an idea of a starting place. Again, this was just a very simple meal so you could really get creative here. I also listed the ingredients I used for a reference point.

Ingredients:
Vegetable bouillon or other vegan bouillon
Chicken curry masala (it's vegan)
Turmeric (1/4 tsp)
Quinoa
Cashews
Assorted vegetables (we had green bell pepper, chilies, carrots, radish greens, lima beans, green peas, potatoes)
Assorted herbs (we had fresh basil, parsley, dill and cilantro)

Method:
1. Dissolve vegan bouillon and spices in hot water.
2. Add half as much quinoa as water, chopped vegetables and herbs (you can save the herbs until the end when it's all cooked if you're not feeling too lazy and hands-off).
3. Boil quinoa, then simmer for about 15 minutes.
4. Toast cashews and garnish finished dish with them.

I was originally going to make a nice, hearty stew today because we've had some chilly nights (and days), but then I checked the weather and saw that it was going to be 97 degrees F (36 C)!! In three short days the high temperature will be 60 F (15.5C) with a low of 46F (8 C). This is Michigan for you, I guess. Anyway, it was WAY too hot for me to cook or eat hot food today so I had to find a no cook dinner.

I decided to make some super easy burritos with salsa verde. I've never made anything with tomatillos before so I didn't even know if I'd like it, but I thought it tasted fresh and delicious. Alone, I thought it could use some more salt, but it was perfect with the chips.

This Salsa Verde recipe is from Food Network. It is very easy and requires only a few ingredients. There were two versions on the show, but I made the raw version. I just put these items in the blender, then mixed it with chopped onion and salt. Click here for the recipe.

To make the meal complete (though I really could have eaten just the salsa verde and tortilla chips), I put together some simple burritos.

organic tortillas

vegetarian refried beans (sub black beans if you don't like these)

shredded lettuce

avocado

salsa verde

cilantro

halved cherry tomatoes

hot sauce

Usually I add sauteed or grilled vegetables to these, but it was seriously just too hot for that. I know a lot of people can handle heat, but I am certainly not one of them.

Update on Buddy: He has now been off his medicine for a couple of days and seems to be doing fine, but as I write this he is crying for no apparent reason. I'm hoping there's just a squirrel outside that I can't see.

It's only a week late, but I finally came up with a theme for Mondays for my Vegan MoFo posts! (Okay, actually I came up with the theme last Tuesday, but had to wait all the way until today!) One of the main purposes of my blog is to share veg recipes, news, information and happenings with people I meet everyday . . . and those people are usually from Michigan.

So, I decided to highlight some great things going on right here in the mitten state - Michigan! Why the mitten state you might ask? Just look at a map of Michigan. Maybe you're not from Michigan and you don't know that Michiganders carry a handy (no pun intended) state map with them wherever they go. Just ask someone from Michigan where they're from. Watch them lift one hand up and use the other hand to point to the area they're from on their trusty hand map. Try it, it's fun.

Without further ado, let's share some mitten pride, shall we?

VegMichigan is something us Veg Michiganders can be proud of. VegMichigan is "the largest nonprofit organization in Michigan promoting awareness of the health, environmental, and ethical benefits of a plant-based diet and lifestyle." This organization does so many fantastic things! Here are a few of my favorites:

-Annual VegFest (this is a HUGE event with great classes, food, products, coupons, people, etc.)
-Vegan restaurant options (& discounts at some of these restaurants for VegMichigan members)-Monthly get-togethers with like-minded people
-Potlucks
-Email newsletters with vegan recipes, happenings & information-Monthly Cooking Demos in Rochester and Ann Arbor
-Vegetarian Starter Guide for members
-VegNews magazine subscription for members
-Other resources on their website
-Sharing information through leafletting,billboards, library displays, etc.

Check out VegMichigan! You'll be glad you did!

VegMichigan - Michigan's Largest Vegetarian Organization

Based on the popularity of my first Grocery Shopping 101 post, I decided I need to post some 101 type meal ideas. Sometimes it can seem overwhelming transitioning to a more plant-based diet or it might seem like you need to make long, complicated recipes. The truth is that you can eat very simple, healthy foods that take little or no prep time.

Not too long ago, we had a get-together with a mixed group of meat-eaters and non meat-eaters. We made a do-it-yourself wrap bar and everyone loaded up on what they liked. Here's my wrap.

Quinoa Tortilla

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Cucumber, Halved Cherry Tomatoes, Scallions

Romaine

Cilantro

Sprouts

A Splash of Middle Eastern Salad Dressing (Italian would work well too)

I hope this gives you an idea of a quick, easy plant-based meal that you can take with you on the go. I will share more wraps soon, but please feel free to share some of your favorite wrap ideas in the comments!

Where to Find: We picked up all of these ingredients at our local Meijer grocery store, but they should be readily available (though you might have to substitute a regular or other gluten-free tortilla) at any grocery store.

Quite often when people change to a more plant-based diet, they have a hard time figuring out what to get, where to shop, where to eat out and what to eat. I get these kinds of questions all the time. I have decided that my Wednesday theme for Vegan MoFo 2013 will be Grocery Shopping 101 / Whatcha Gonna Eat Wednesday. This theme was a last-minute changeup inspired by a great couple I met last night at a VegMichigan Cooking Demo. If they're reading this, thanks for the inspiration and for reminding me why I write this blog!

This week I am featuring my Metro-Detroit Costco store. Costco (at least around here) is actually a good place to get vegan food. Here's sort of a vegan shopping list for Costco with a few meal ideas thrown in:

-Chips & Snacks (tortilla chips, plain potato chips, on-the-go snacks, etc.)

Mamma Chia Blackberry Bliss Chia Squeeze Vitality Snack Vegan Vegetarian Chia + Fruit + Vegetables

-Canned Beans (great in salads, soups, with grains)

-Ready-to-Eat Soups, Vegetable Stock, Ready-to-Eat Grains & Meals

-Tomatoes - sauce, paste, diced, etc. (pasta - duh!, also great for flavoring soups and stews, cooking with beans)

-Beans - This is something new I have not seen at Costco before! Yay!

-Pasta, Whole Grains & Seeds (different kinds of rice, pasta, quinoa, chia, freekeh, etc. - they're always adding new items here)

Organic Vegetarian Vegan Whole Grains Costco

-Spices (including organic)

-Cereal

-Nuts & Nut Butters (great as an on-the-go snack, in salads, desserts, DIY trail mix)

Vegan Dark Chocolate Dreams Peanut Butter Vegetarian Costco

-Dried Fruit (great as an on-the-go snack, in salads, desserts, DIY trail mix)

-Non-Dairy Milk (great for smoothies, coffee/tea, cereal, baking, etc.)

Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze Almond Milk Vegan Costco

-Vegan Sweeteners (that's right, Costco carries vegan sugar for all your baking & sweetening needs)

Vegan Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Sugar Costco

Wholesome Sweeteners Vegan Organic Blue Agave Nectar Sweetener

-Fresh Fruit & Vegetables (don't forget that these are great snacks or additions to a lunch)

-Frozen Fruit (great in smoothies or desserts)

-Frozen Vegetables (great for making a quick soup or stew, adding to rice or quinoa, etc.)

-Tofu & Meat Substitutes

Organic Silken Tofu Multipack Vegan Vegetarian Costco

Silken tofu is especially good in desserts, soups, vegan mayonnaise and creamy sauces. Not in the refrigerated section like the other tofu.

-Refrigerator Section Finds

-Hummus Galore! (put on sandwiches, eat with fresh veggies for a snack or with pita chips - also available at Costco)

Check out the totally vegan 'Texas Caviar' - also great for stuffing a pita or adding to your lunch or picnic

Here's what I picked up this time

I HIGHLY recommend these Field Roast Sausages, especially for new vegetarians and vegans! I haven't found anyone who doesn't like them. They can also be found at Whole Foods Market.

Also, don't forget the great

-Kitchen Appliances and Products available at discounted prices

This is by far my favorite non-food item in my kitchen!

Does anyone have any other suggestions for vegan shopping at a warehouse store like Costco? Any favorite vegan products from Costco?

Friday night while I was taking care of Buddy, my mom was entertaining guests. She was the only vegetarian among a generally health-conscious and open-minded crowd so she decided to make Lentil Soup and Middle Eastern Salad. She was planning on bringing the leftovers back to my husband and me, but everyone loved it so much that there was nothing left to bring to us! For a few days she's been hearing how good her soup was so we decided to share it with you! Here in Detroit, it is the perfect day for a big pot of soup and I'm sure there will be more days like this coming soon as fall draws near.

Just like Mom's Simple Pea Soup, this soup tastes great the next day so I love to make it on the weekend and divide it up for lunches and dinners during the week. Also like the pea soup, this is great alone or served over a baked potato, rice, quinoa or with bread or crackers.

Ingredients:
1 lb green lentils
8 cups water
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 - 4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp celery salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder, or to taste
1/2 tsp onion powder, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
2 potatoes, diced

Method:
1. Rinse your lentils.
2. Bring lentils and water to a boil.
3. Skim off froth from the top. (This helps eliminate some possible gas)
4. Add everything else, except the potatoes.
5. Let it simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
6. Add potatoes and continue cooking for about 30 minutes.

A couple of days ago, I spent ALL DAY gardening and by the time I realized it was getting late and I needed to make dinner, I discovered that my arms and body were SORE and I was STARVING! So, it seemed like a great night for take out.

People often assume that it's hard to dine out if you're a vegan, but it's not really true once you get the hang of it. One trick for dining out vegan is to look for ethnic restaurants. These often have foods that just happen to be vegan anyway - without any modification on your part!

As you probably know, my husband is from India and I LOVE indian food. Indian restaurants are some of our favorite restaurants. And the great thing about Indian restaurants is that you can find them throughout the world - so we tend to look for them as a safe bet while traveling.

The one thing that you need to know if you're looking for vegan food at an Indian restaurant is to beware of dairy! Dairy can be hidden in many Indian foods that you would not suspect. Make sure to ask your waiter or waitress even if it does not list dairy in the item description on the menu. We actually came to the conclusion that we need to list off dairy items while we're asking because they sometimes forget things like ghee when they say 'no, there's no dairy.' I like to make my husband seem like the one with all the questions (although the waitstaff never minds). Here's his line of questioning:

"Does this contain any dairy products? Paneer? Cream? Milk? Yogurt? Butter? Ghee?"

We have found that very often, if something is made with butter or ghee, the restaurant will gladly make it for you without. Occasionally, this is not the case, but it's always worth a try. Sometimes they can even omit one of the other dairy products from a meal, but not always. It never hurts to ask!

So, here's our meal from the other night: Aloo chaat, aloo gobi and basmati rice. Yum!

Where to Find: This came from a restaurant called Touch of India in Birmingham, Michigan. The staff is very helpful about letting you know if there is dairy in a dish or not. If you find that the food you were craving does contain dairy, they can often make it for you without. We have found this restaurant to be particularly accommodating.

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/chIa8lgnU8/

East Meets West Veg

Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes from Ellen's Chef Roberto Martin

Creating a Vegan Thanksgiving or Holiday Meal with the Compassionate Cook

Tips for Going Vegan from Reader's Digest

Quinoa with Fresh Vegetables and Herbs

Super Easy Salsa Verde & Burritos

Mitten Monday - VegMichigan

Super Easy Hummus Wrap

Vegan Grocery Shopping 101 at Costco

Mom's Green Lentil Soup

Time for Takeout & Tips for Dining Out Vegan Style

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