Less processed food the better.

Thanks again.

Can't share recipes with you Tyson but in addition to a vegetarian diet you may want google an alkaline diet verses eating acidic foods.

Some websites for you:

http://vegweb.com/

http://punchfork.com/vegan

http://www.canadianliving.com/food/menus_and_collections/canadian_living...

http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Everyday-Cooking/Vegetarian/Vegan/Top.aspx

I am a vegetarian with a couple of vegan friends. One thing you might want to try, on special occasions is Tofurkey - a delicious turkey replacement for meals like Christmas or Thanksgiving. The company that makes it describes it as being "lightly processed," but I have yet to find a homemade variety that tastes anywhere near as good - and everyone whom I've served this too seems to really enjoy it. Around here all the grocery stores have it in their frozen foods section. 

I really like making stir fries with some tofu and lots of nuts thrown in. I also make a fair amount of pasta with tofu instead of meat. Tofu doesn't take very long to cook, so it's okay to make it one of the last things you throw into the pot. That said, you want to have it in there long enough to absorb the flavours of the things around it.

For breakfast, I've recently discovered this awesome granola recipe (which, I suspect, would go well with almond milk):

3 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup each: dried cranberries, raisins, slivered almonds, sunflower seeds, pecan halves, pumpkin seeds, unsweetened coconut flakes

12 dried apricots - sliced

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 325F and prepare baking sheet. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix wet ingredients in a sauce pan and heat until almost boiling, then pour into the dry ingredients bowl and mix. Spread mixture onto the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes - stirring a couple of times. Cool to room temperature, then put in an airtight container (keeps for up to 3 weeks).

Enjoy!

Somegal, i'm surprised by the olive oil -- have you considered using coconut butter for the fat?  (olive oil isn't intended to be heated much as I understand it)

I haven't - I'll try that! I suspect that you could use any type of oil and it would still taste delicious.

I'm not a vegetarian or vegan but I do a lot of vegetable stir-frys with just veg and nuts (usually almonds or cashews) spiced with ginger, garlic and a touch of salty soy-sauce.  I find that you can do nice vegetable curries with lightly sauteed veggies, coconut milk and curry powder.

I've been experimenting with adding some of the more unusual (to a westerner like me anyway) Asian veggies to my stir-frys; things like fresh water chestnuts, thinly sliced louts root, wing beans, winter melon and opo squash. They add some interesting tastes and textures.   Things like rose-apples, star fruit and asian or ya pears go really well in fruit salads too.

Water chestnuts are delicious - I love putting them in stir fries! I usually do a soy-sauce/ corn starch mix for my sauce and I like to add lots of spices.

I used to use canned water chestnuts but the fresh ones are so much nicer, they are a tad sweeter and the texture is better.  I don't always have access to fresh water chestnuts though.

Rowan - I also have to get the canned variety usually.

If you like water chestnuts you might like lotus root.  It holds a nice crunchy texture even with long cooking.  You do have to slice it fairly thin.  It absorbs the flavours from the seasonings and other ingredients very well.  But you really do have to have access to an Asian market.

I'll have to try that. We have a supermarket chain around here that offers a really good selection of Asian foods, so they may have it in their produce section (perhaps next to the water chestnuts ).

I've recently taken on the job of making sure that there's a vegetarian equivalent of our stews/casseroles/soups at our after church lunches. For meat in pretty well any casserole, I substitute some combo of (usually pretty well 1/3 each):

- green lentils (or even better, the tiny black ones if you can find them), cooked until tender with a bay leaf and a little salt.

- firm tofu, marinated at least half an hour in Bragg's soy seasoning, sauteed in avocado oil with

- finely chopped cremini mushrooms.

Works particularly well with tomato-based things, although I have used it, seasoning it appropriately to mimic a tourtiere filling.

You giving up honey, as well, Tyson? That would really hurt. I love my local wildflower honey. Buy it from my local honey guy 3kg pails at a time. Very tempted to try a beehive in my backyard, but difficult neighbours...

Hi Tyson,

Not to be an ass or anything.

I must be missing something.  How is tofu not processed?  And since almonds typically do not drip off of trees how is almond milk not a result of food processing?

When I think of non-processed foods I am thinking of things like grapes off of the vine, carrots straight from the dirt.

Is the issue what is processed or how it is processed?

Grace and peace to you.

John

Almond milk you can make very easily yourself. Almonds, water, optionally a 1/4 tsp oil and a little home-made vanilla.

You've got a point about tofu, but I think he's thinking of commercial, many-ingredient, sort of processed. Like the HFCS that must apparently be added to almost everything.

Tofu is processed.

Cograts Tyson!! This is a healthy choice.  Make sure you research and get the right amount of protein from your veggies and nuts.

HI, guys. Sorry I haven't responded earlier. Thanks for all the info. It's been easier than I thought going vegan. Along with exercise and my diet, I am very close to getting back to a healthy weight, and my blood sugars are great.

Yeah. I imagine that many foods we would consider not processed, would have to be, to some degree processed. I guess for me it's the amount of processesing and how it is processed. I am staying WAY clear of white bread, pasta and rice. I only eat bread with no added sugar and where I can actually see the grains. Lots of fruit and veggies.

I have been mixing protein powder with almond milk. I get about 30-35 grams of protein per meal that way. 

My sister-in-law (who isn't vegan but who has hefty dietary restrictions due to health issues) did a good vegan version of butterscotch dessert, "sex in a pan", or whatever name you like for it for Easter dinner. Can't remember the exact constituents but I know there were lots of nuts involved (pecan crust on the bottom, the "cream cheese" layer had cashews in it) so it wouldn't be for those with nut allergies. I'm planning to hit her up for the recipe anyhow so if/when I get I'll send it along.

Mendalla

mmm, almond milk :3  no need for sugar on my cereal :3

Sounds delicious. 

Well. I use the unsweetend kind. But I do find unsweetend soy milk to taste a bit "sweeter" than almond milk. More portien as well.

What is the opinion here on frankenfoods?

I'm dairy free and really miss chip dip and salsa hates me.  I'm tired of using apple sauce and fake cheese.

Someone told me they found a dairy free replacement for cream cheese.  Any ideas what that could have been as I have forgotten?

I'm guessing it might have been Tofutti? I've never tried it, but my vegan friend says it's good.

I'll check it out: thanks!

Let us know what you think!