Newbie Vegan.
Posted by smilingsun on Dec 03, 2008 · Member since Dec 2008 · 1 posts
I've been vegetarian for about 3 years now, and have decided to take it to the next level and go vegan.
But I'm not too sure what it's all about!
I don't get along with soy too well, and I donate blood, and hope to continue doing so.
Does anyone have any information for me? or some easy recipies that I can make after a long day at work.
How much preparation and planning should I put into this before actually starting?
Thanks.
You can be vegan without relying on soy. There are many varieties of non dairy milks, like rice, oat, almond, hemp and whole grain. You can also find rice or coconut based yogurts and ice creams. Cheezy sauces can be made with nutritional yeast, nuts and milk alternatives.
Plan to use beans and seitan, expand your use of whole grains and just stick with things you already know and love. If you have been vegetarian for three years I hope you know how to put together a basic dinner. Just start replacing cheese based recipes. Give up Mac & Cheese for Mac & Cheeze if you like. Try lasagnas without any cheese just more veggies and lush rich sauces full of mushrooms and zucchini. Start making ethnic foods like Indian, Thai and Japanese.
Do some research on iron from food sources if that is a concern. In fact look up nutritional facts on everything you can think of; calcium, protein and B12. Being aware and deliberate will make the transition simple!
Good luck and welcome.