Vegan Misconceptions

[Iti oj]

I'd like to clear up some misconceptions about being a vegan and my diet as a vegan This should mostly apply to vegetarians too. .A lot of these come in the form of questions or 'concerns'. Feel free to add to this list. Meat eaters remember this is a discussion not a debate. Okay so this is not all of them and its more about my diet then anything else.


Vegans eat foods food. People think that vegans and vegetarians eat nothing but salads. I rarely eat salad. I have not had a salad since i harvested one from my garden, at least 3 months now. Also I have 1 recipe for a "dinner salad" and treat salad as a side most of the time just like most non vegans.

I couldn't live of rice and beans. This one is a bit trickier because i do eat a lot of beans but its not just rice and beans nor is it everyday. First off, like i said, its not everyday. There is pasta with pesto or sauce, quinoa, pearl barley, wheat berries, lentils, nuts and seeds and many other things. Secondly and most importantly its how they are used that really mater.

Examples: we have these bean balls (kidney beans, oat flour, crushed walnut, carrot, seasons) we serve over spaghetti squash. Did we eat beans with that dinner sure did, did we have beans, I don't think so. An even better example might be our Peanut butter and squash Stew, It has black beans in it and is served over rice. The soup features large pieces of squash, seasoned with ginger and hot pepper to taste, with a broth containing tomato puree, broth and peanut butter this dish is anything but "rice and beans"

Examples: mushroom stuffed potato cakes, artichoke and shiitake pasta with butternut and tomato sauce, grilled marinated veggies and mushrooms over couscous, squash burgers, etc.

Another misconception and also something i here from ex vegans is i never felt full or satisfied. My experience and my research has lead me to believe that diet wasn't adequate, likely suffering from a lack of variety among other things.

ehh more to come maybe and you all add some

 

[Iti oj]

@Chakra @Aupmanyav @Terese @wizanda @Rival ummm @ a whole bunch of people who im slipping at right now. sorry and love

 

[illykitty]

Interesting post and I agree. Oh I love your food examples, they sound really tasty. I think a lot of people also comment on where to get certain nutrients, thinking it is lacking in vegan diets, though the number 1 culprit is probably proteins (which to me is one of the lesser concerns). I think any diet needs to be well planned to be healthy and veganism isn't any different. It's just that we're not used to it.

I am not vegan but do eat that way most of the time, so I do encounter those misconceptions too. I must admit however I tend to eat more plainly than you do so at times my meals do consist of "rice and beans" but often in the form of curries and such. I've been trying to get used to beans (I come from a heavy meat eating background and wasn't a healthy vegetarian in the past) but I found chickpeas are super filling for me, versatile and satisfying. Not to mention I'm often concerned about the nutritional content of foods, and chickpeas are great in that way. And I don't have salads often either, but it's nice when the weather is hot. It doesn't need to be boring, like most people imagine it, I've had salads with nuts, seeds, dried fruits and avocados which were delicious. Salads are more than just leaves and sauce, a lot of possible combinations of ingredients can bring them to life.

But yes, eating vegan food can be really interesting. It's a whole new world and it's amazing all the things you can make just out of plants. My next adventure will be to try to make my own nuggets, I'm still trying to think of which ingredients to combine.

 

[Iti oj]

Interesting post and I agree. Oh I love your food examples, they sound really tasty. I think a lot of people also comment on where to get certain nutrients, thinking it is lacking in vegan diets, though the number 1 culprit is probably proteins (which to me is one of the lesser concerns). I think any diet needs to be well planned to be healthy and veganism isn't any different. It's just that we're not used to it.

I am not vegan but do eat that way most of the time, so I do encounter those misconceptions too. I must admit however I tend to eat more plainly than you do so at times my meals do consist of "rice and beans" but often in the form of curries and such. I've been trying to get used to beans (I come from a heavy meat eating background and wasn't a healthy vegetarian in the past) but I found chickpeas are super filling for me, versatile and satisfying. Not to mention I'm often concerned about the nutritional content of foods, and chickpeas are great in that way. And I don't have salads often either, but it's nice when the weather is hot. It doesn't need to be boring, like most people imagine it, I've had salads with nuts, seeds, dried fruits and avocados which were delicious. Salads are more than just leaves and sauce, a lot of possible combinations of ingredients can bring them to life.

But yes, eating vegan food can be really interesting. It's a whole new world and it's amazing all the things you can make just out of plants. My next adventure will be to try to make my own nuggets, I'm still trying to think of which ingredients to combine.

Use chickpea for the Nuggets I got a recipe for 'tenders' and one for 'patties' also makes chickpea salad. I also use it in flour form for several recipes.

 

[Terese]

@Chakra @Aupmanyav @Terese @wizanda @Rival ummm @ a whole bunch of people who im slipping at right now. sorry and love

Watchya mean Iti oj?

 

[Iti oj]

Watchya mean Iti oj?

ohh i meant sorry to the people i forgot to tag. Im tagging you in the thread thought you might be interested in the topic but did not tag in the op and it wont give you a notice if i edit it in. What do ya think of the op?

 

[LuisDantas]

I think Iti meant to give a heads-up to the vegans that he could recall at that moment, and felt bad about forgetting anyone, Terese.

 

[LuisDantas]

As for the OP, I think there is considerable misconception running around. Many people still assume that vegan food is usually low on protein, although that is hardly accurate.

I am a lacto-egg veg, not a vegan, but it seems to me that if one is creative on how to make and present the recipes and takes the effort to balance the nutrients (and it is not really that big a challenge, although it may take some time) it can be a very healthy and fulfilling diet.

It is also a good motivation for learning how to cook (or to cook better or more varied recipes), as well as to simply give some thought on how balanced our food is, which is always a good thing.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I have developed a liking for clear vegetable soups.

 

[Iti oj]

As for the OP, I think there is considerable misconception running around. Many people still assume that vegan food is usually low on protein, although that is hardly accurate.

I am a lacto-egg veg, not a vegan, but it seems to me that if one is creative on how to make and present the recipes and takes the effort to balance the nutrients (and it is not really that big a challenge, although it may take some time) it can be a very healthy and fulfilling diet.

It is also a good motivation for learning how to cook (or to cook better or more varied recipes), as well as to simply give some thought on how balanced our food is, which is always a good thing.

with the internet its really easy lots of blogs, and recipe archives, and how to videos

 

[LuisDantas]

It is also easy, useful and interesting to learn about the nutritional value of various foods.

A recent discovery of mine are sweet peas. They are excellent food, and very tasty wth some onions and curry. Yummy.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Kashmiri cusine has a lot of dearly loved veg (green leaves) preparation. These are not part of the kashmiri feast 'Wazvan', which is meat-heavy and offered to visitors. This is what we eat when we are among Kashmiri bretheren - Swachal, Hak, and Muddi (Kohl rabi, cabbage, along with leaves and even the stem below the flower). Simple preparation with some oil and salt, well-boiled, clear soup. The meal is very filling and we cannot have enough of it. Hak is Collard greens. Found it, Swachal is common mallow (Malva neglecta).

 

[Iti oj]

Kashmiri cusine has a lot of dearly loved veg (green leaves) preparation. These are not part of the kashmiri feast 'Wazvan', which is meat-heavy and offered to visitors. This is what we eat when we are among Kashmiri bretheren - Swachal, Hak, and Muddi (Cabbage, along with leaves and even the stem below the flower). Simple preparation with some oil and salt, well-boiled, clear soup. The meal is very filling and we cannot have enough of it. Hak is Collard greens. I am searching botanical/English name for Swachal.

I grew both cabbage and collards this year I could have made it!

 

[Iti oj]

It is also easy, useful and interesting to learn about the nutritional value of various foods.

A recent discovery of mine are sweet peas. They are excellent food, and very tasty wth some onions and curry. Yummy.

Mmhm I have a sweet pea pesto we like to make, we have lots of pestos.

 

[Corthos]

I'd say that right now I've been living off of a pescatarian diet, though I only eat seafood maybe once every 3-4 days. Other than that, I eat vegetarian foods. My girlfriend has expressed a desire to eat vegan foods, and I'd like to support her by making her those vegan meals when we eat together, but I'm honestly very ignorant on the subject. I know vegans don't just eat salads all the time, but at the same time, it seems those who live vegan lifestyles do a lot of cooking. This is a great thing (I enjoy cooking), but sometimes time isn't always on our side, and I need to put together quick and easy meals for us to eat on the fly (and I really don't want to eat sandwiches all the time - I need some variety). I'd like to know how you folks approach that issue. =)

 

[Iti oj]

I'd say that right now I've been living off of a pescatarian diet, though I only eat seafood maybe once every 3-4 days. Other than that, I eat vegetarian foods. My girlfriend has expressed a desire to eat vegan foods, and I'd like to support her by making her those vegan meals when we eat together, but I'm honestly very ignorant on the subject. I know vegans don't just eat salads all the time, but at the same time, it seems those who live vegan lifestyles do a lot of cooking. This is a great thing (I enjoy cooking), but sometimes time isn't always on our side, and I need to put together quick and easy meals for us to eat on the fly (and I really don't want to eat sandwiches all the time - I need some variety). I'd like to know how you folks approach that issue. =)

I usually spend 30-60 mins in the kitchen. these are the 15-30 mins one off the top of my head

ok super simple easy and quick meal. 1 pound of ouster mushrooms - chopped coarsly, 1 red onion - diced, 5 cloves garlic or to taste - diced, 1 box of pasta (spaghetti works great). fry up the onion, mushrooms and add garlic last. serve over pasta and serve bread if you want. great easy meal

you can also use pesto or regular sauce.

Premade and frozen vegie/bean/squash burgers.

chickpea cutlets and mushroom gravy

besides marinating time the grilled veggies and mushrooms over couscous is fast and easy. (you can marinate over night or the morning of or for at least 2 hours)

curry can be quick

many things can be stocked and prepped and kept on hand too.

 

[Mycroft]

I'm unwilling to give up bacon, or various other meats. And I've heard all of the various rhetoric about cruelty and murder...I just don't care.

I'm all for the synthesis of meats, and I believe that synthesised meat research should be better funded so we can get it on the shelves within our lifetime, but I'll never become a vegan. And that's the deal.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Another preparation that my wife makes and we like is radish (leaves and all) and scallion, green onions. with some tomato and green chillies.

Then, the day next to Diwali, the Indian festival of lights (happens in October/November) is known here as 'Govardhan' (increase in the cattle wealth) and we have a function known as 'annakoota' (the function of inexhaustible food). My in-laws prepare a dish which incorporates up to 30 vegetables, basically whatever is available in the market. While preparing it, one thing is kept in mind - the hard vegetables are put in first and the soft ones later. Of course, spices are added but it is not made hot. What results is not a curry, no soup but a mix, which is very tasty. It is eaten with small fried wheat tortillas which we term as 'puris'.

Puri, Bedmi

If the wheat flour in not finely ground, then that gets us another type of crunchy puri, Bedmi, which is very nice to eat with tangy, hot curry.
Last thing. Don't worry about protein. A vegetarian/vegan diet has enough of them. Just eat to your heart's fill.

 

[Iti oj]

I'm unwilling to give up bacon, or various other meats. And I've heard all of the various rhetoric about cruelty and murder...I just don't care.

I'm all for the synthesis of meats, and I believe that synthesised meat research should be better funded so we can get it on the shelves within our lifetime, but I'll never become a vegan. And that's the deal.

There is also, environmental, socioeconomic and health reasons too.

Yeah synthetic meat is exciting. I support that and look forward to it.

 

[Mycroft]

There is also, environmental, socioeconomic and health reasons too.

Its worse for my health walking down a street next to a busy road than it is having the odd rasher of bacon every week. The health impact of meat is seriously overrated. Mostly overrated by 'I told you so' vegans.