I was vegan for several years, and quite enjoyed the experience. Why did I stop? Well...sort of personal, don't you think? I may share at some point. Regardless, minimizing suffering of sentient creatures and environmental impact still weigh very heavily in my mind, so it's a "work in progress" at this time.
Anyway - there were a few things I really enjoyed:
- Creamer: I love Planet Oat's Caramel creamer, but you can also use a variety of coconut products. If you are doing a high-fat vegan approach, you can even use straight coconut oil! This does require a blender, however, so be prepared for that if you'd like to avoid nothing more than a layer of slime on top of your black coffee. The blending can be tricky - most enclosed blenders do not endorse using hot liquids, and it must be at least warm enough to preserve the oil in a melted state.
- Cheeses: I detest most cheese substitutes, but one that was great in sandwiches is Chao (specifically the Tomato Cayenne). There is also an outstanding Parmesan substitute you can make yourself with just four ingredients: cashews, garlic, salt, and nutritional yeast. Check it out at the minimalist baker.
- Meats: Unfortunately, most of the "mycoprotein"-based Qorn products are NOT vegan, however their spicy varieties are, and are quite good. Beyond meat sausages are also great IMO, but the smell can be off-putting to some (particularly their patties). Mushrooms themselves are a great meat substitute - Gaz Oakley (aka The Avant Garde Vegan) has some very impressive recipes.
There are more options, certainly - but I just wanted to put those top-of-mind ones out there.
Enjoy!
Vegan image by Freepik
Comments