Vegan Week: Day 2

Today is day 2 of vegan week. I thought I would start off by showing you our meals. At the bottom of the post you will find the answers to all of the questions you asked me. Please feel free to ask any more questions as they occur to you.

Also, I would like to make a little disclaimer. We don't normally eat this much soy, but I am using this as an opportunity to show you some of the products which are now available on the market. They do make it easier for lazy vegans and vegans who are just getting their feet wet.

Breakfast

For breakfast we had scrambled tofu, toast and banana. My scrambled tofu varies from day to day and it depends which veggies I have lurking in my fridge. This particular version had tofu, turmeric, garlic, nutritional yeast, salsa, olives, potato and mushrooms. I take less than 15 minutes to prepare my scrambled tofu. Even though there are a lot of ingredients it really is not labor intensive.

Leftovers for lunch

For lunch we had leftover cabbage burgers, a small salad and fresh orange slices. I am a big believer in using up leftovers. I really don't like to throw out perfectly good food. As a result I will often serve leftovers throughout the week or freeze and serve at a later date.

Dinner

Dinner was a whole grain pasta in an herbed tomato sauce with sauteed onion, garlic, zucchini, spinach, mushrooms, olives and a bit of the veggie sausage that I found on sale at the store. I garnished with a little vegan Parmesan cheese.

Evening Snack

Last night I decided I need a little something more substantial for my evening snack, so I made peanut butter and raspberry jam sandwiches for the two of us. Yum! Sometimes I completely forget that the PB&J was ever invented and then I get to rediscover the simple joy anew.

Now for your questions:
First off, Court said that she needs her Taco Bell. Well, vegans can actually eat at Taco Bell. The beans do not have lard (although regular checkups are a good idea, you never know when something will change). The key is to order things without meat, cheese or sour cream. Here is a link to some vegan fast food options. While I wouldn't suggest that these are healthy choices they do work in a pinch.

Carmen, you asked about what casein free soy cheeses there are. Thankfully the world of vegan cheese has made some dramatic improvements in the flavor, quality and meltability of their soy cheeses. My favorite brands are Sheese (which is kind of pricey so we use it as a rare treat) and Vegan Gourmet (I can find this at any health food store and many local groceries as well). Those are my two favorites, but there are many vegan brands available now! Your next question was about soy milk. Currently I am drinking Silk which is fortified with Omega 3's, but I tend to switch it up. I am not a brand loyalist when it comes to soy milk.

Yes Robin, I'd love to cook for you. Come on over!

Melissa asked about baking without eggs. There are several options like using apple sauce or soft tofu as a binding agent, but I like Ener G Egg Replacer. I find that it has worked perfectly for me. I can use it in place of eggs in any baking dish. It is widely available and inexpensive.

Melissa also asked why am I vegan. The simple answer is that I want to limit my participation in the suffering of others. Eating a vegan diet is compassionate, good for my health and good for the environment. I did my research and felt morally obligated to make this decision. Thankfully Eric felt the same way and we easily made the transition.

Finally, Emerald asked how I get my vitamin B-12. Well, it's really quite easy. I eat fortified foods (cereals, soy milks, soy meats) and toss nutritional yeast into anything I feel like. Normally Eric and I do not need to take a multi-vitmain as our needs are met with a varied diet. However, since I am pregnant I am taking a doctor approved vegan prenatal vitamin.