My interest in the vegan diet is twofold: first, Todd decided he wanted to eat lighter on the nights we don't go for a run and second, I'm attracted to a diet that includes absolutely no dairy.
I'm always looking for an excuse to buy a good cookbook, so my first step in the vegan venture was finding one on the subject. After flipping through several at BAM, I came home and ordered The Complete Vegan Kitchen by Jannequin Bennett (it was half the price to get it used from Amazon, and that's with shipping). The first part of the book explains veganism and discusses nutrition, ingredients, tools, etc. I love books that read like textbooks, so I wanted one that had a good "getting started" section.
Vegan diets differ from vegetarianism in that no part of any animal is permitted for eating. That means that in addition to any and all meat, no fish, eggs, or dairy are allowed. Even honey and gelatin are no nos. Because I am only interested in eating like a vegan occasionally, I don't intend to follow all the rules. I'm ok with meatless dinners, and I already do without dairy on a daily basis, but eggs...I just don't think I'm ready to lose those.
The meal you see pictured below is called bulgar pilaf with cashews and oven-roasted tomatoes. Roasting tomatoes in the oven is an hours long process (I'd give it a good three), and it took all that was in me to give it a try. I was the kid (alright, and now I'm the adult) who picked out the tiny chunks of tomatoes from spaghetti sauce and pushed them off to the side, so bringing myself to biting into one of these things was a psychological battle.
I confess, I'm still not crazy about eating tomatoes in anything but the sauce form, but this dish was extremely low-cal and filling, a combination for which I'm willing to make mega sacrifices. And I enjoyed cooking with cashews. I'm a nut lover and have never used them before in a savory dish...maybe I should explore those posibilites.
Not pictured here but also on the vegan menu that night was dairy-free vanilla pudding, also from The Complete Vegan Kitchen. Pudding is a less than picturesque dessert on a normal day, but whip up a little sugar, cornstarch and soy milk and the delicious but gelatinous blob you're left with is better experienced in person. Really, though, I do recommend it. I have always liked pudding, but since declaring myself allergic to dairy in middle school, it's been one of those pleasures I've lived many years without. The vegan alternative is tasty, just not as creamy (for obvious reasons) as the "real thing." I've learned that one must let go of expected texture and taste issues if one wants to be happy with substitution. No muffin labeled "gluten-free," no ice cream labeled "dairy-free," and no burger labeled "meat-free" is going to be quite like you remember their non-allergenic-conscious counterparts. It's best to accept that as early as possible.
My integration of vegan dishes will be slow, I'm sure, as my body considers most vegetables to be foreign matter. One step at a time. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment