We’ve shared a 30-year love affair with food since we met as college roommates. We love a great hamburger, a slice of pizza (or three), chocolate cake, a heaping plate of pasta and a grilled cheese sandwich anywhere, any time. Once, we were young, thin, carefree and healthy. Now, we are… not so much.
We’re going vegan. This is our story. Along with our recipe likes, links, learnings and loathes.
Kimberly,
You may or may not know that I’m not the biggest fan of the string bean. I’ve learned to tolerate them over the years since they seem to be the veggie of choice at sit-down wedding dinners and afternoon funeral luncheons. And now that I’m trying to make vegetables the focus of my meals, I’m forcing myself to try veggies in new and interesting ways that I might otherwise take a pass on.
I came across a website that intrigued me. It is called pickuplimes.com and the woman who runs the site is a Canadian currently living in the Netherlands. She is also a dietitian which gives her some additional credibility in my book. And what sucked me in were the Ultra Fudgy Sea Salt Caramel Brownies. I haven’t made them but, dang, do they look good.
Anyway, I came across a recipe for Gado Gado. I know less than nothing about Indonesian food but it just sounded so tasty and she mentioned that she eats it about once a week. Heck, if a vegan says they want to eat the same thing over and over again week after week, it has to be pretty special. So, I figured I would try it.
Hot damn, it is tasty. I’ve made it twice now. The first time I used vegetable textured protein – looked like ground beef. It was good but Tony didn’t like the texture – go figure. The second time I used Tofurky roasted “chicken” and it was even better. Apparently, there are lots of varieties of gado-gado based on region. I haven’t tried any other variety but if the rest are anything like this, it is definitely worth experimenting. I thought you would like this because of the green beans. I like it despite the green beans. I served it over brown jasmine rice but I’m sure it would be tasty over udon or rice noodles as well.
The recipe is Vegan Gado Gado with Sun-dried Tomatoes. I hope you enjoy it.
Carolyn
Kimberly,
You’ve known me for a very long time so you know that I’m a snob when it comes to Italian cuisine. I refuse to set foot in an Olive Garden, no one can make a cannoli shell better than my mother, and cheese does not come out of a green can… ever. So, trying to find a marinara sauce recipe that doesn’t call for sugar is tough. Everyone wants a quick sauce and the only way to get rid of the acidity from the tomatoes quickly is to add in sugar. So not necessary if you have the patience. A good sauce is a bit of a time commitment but so worth it in the end.
I found a recipe from Bon Appetit that is simple, vegan and not a grain of added sugar in sight. Only five ingredients not counting salt and pepper and it makes an amazing sauce. Three things you do need to know: 1. Use only San Marzano tomatoes. They are more expensive, but so worth it. 2. Use good quality olive oil and only fresh garlic and basil. Dried will only disappoint you. 3. You’ll need to cook it more than the 1 hour that the recipe calls for. We simmered ours for about 2.5-3 hours. The longer it simmers, the thicker it gets and the sweeter it gets; thus the reason you don’t need added sugar. We also make a lot and freeze it in portions and then just defrost it in the refrigerator, or on the stove, or in the microwave to use for a last minute pasta dinner, vegetable lasagna or, what I did last week, eggplant rollatini. I used the recipe from Forks Over Knives but made two tweaks to it – I ditched the nutritional yeast (not a fan) and swapped out the millet for Israeli couscous.
I hope you try it. It is the closest I can get to a good Italian red sauce without adding meat.
Carolyn
Kimberly,
I used the Vegan 8 recipe for Vegan Cheesy Mexican Tortilla Bake. I love me some Mexican so this was right up my alley – beans, corn tortillas, cheesiness. It was probably more carbs than I probably should have consumed but I’m justifying it with, “they are complex carbs”. Anyway, I made the recipe mostly as written and was pleasantly surprised with the result.
My biggest problem with this is calling it cheesy. It is not, by any stretch of the imagination, cheesy. Raw cashews do not magically become cheese because they have been pureed. They might lend themselves to providing a creaminess, but that is where the similarity ends. So, instead of using the cashews, I used white beans (per her suggestion if you have nut allergies). I’ve used pureed cashews for a couple of other dressings and find it bland and gritty. I wanted to try the beans to see how that would fair. It ended up being quite tasty and since there were black beans in the layers, I didn’t mind one more layer of beans on top.
Again, the end result is good but it lacked complexity. (I’m finding that 8 ingredients is limiting the depth of flavor quite a bit.) I used sprouted corn tortillas and while tasty, they were dry. Next time, I will probably dip the tortillas in enchilada sauce to moisten them before layering. The salsa I used was mild as I don’t care for really spicy food. However, the addition of green chilies would have been a nice touch and I ended up using them on top of my leftovers. Tony just piled on the hot sauce and was happy as a clam. It also screams for more texture. Everything was kind of mushy. It needs crunch or chew or something else besides soft. When I figure out what to use, I’ll let you know.
The hardest part of this vegan thing is the dairy. Nothing comes close to real cheese. Nothing. And it makes me sad.
Carolyn
Carolyn: I submit to you my first Vegan 8 recipe review, for the “Easiest Black Bean Burger,” actually from Vegan Richa’s Everyday Kitchen Cookbook.
While it’s more than 8 ingredients, it’s definitely pretty quick and easy to put together. Especially if you have a food processor. At the point that I had thrown together the walnuts, oats, garlic, ginger, onion, and jalapeños, I realized I have no food processor. I’ve been so used to having one that I didn’t realize I didn’t bring it when I moved.
I made a ridiculous attempt at using my immersion blender. Bad idea jeans.
So: I added another can of beans (with liquid) and cooked down slightly on the stove top to bring the flavors together a bit. Voila: A yummy taco filling/fajita filling, or bowl as I’m currently enjoying. Throw on some avocado, extra cilantro, chopped tomatoes and a little lime juice. Amazeballs.
Love the flavor and texture, it’s filling, and I will definitely make this often.
I also look forward to making sure I have a food processor to actually make burgers next time. I’m imagining a grilled char will send this recipe through the roof for me.
Carolyn: I’m starting the week with a bonus recipe since I made it last weekend. One of my staff had told me about Shalane Flanagan/Elyse Kopecky’s cookbooks since his wife is a runner and vegan. The asparagus soup is the first recipe I’ve tried, from “Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow.” The “cook fast” definitely appealed to me. Also, I had a ton of asparagus to use up.
It’s a good soup but was missing a little depth for me. I’m going to add more garlic along with something like paprika or tarragon next time. I also think the vegan option with tahini instead of goat cheese would actually be better and give it a little more of the complexity I’m wanting.
The recipe’s not available online–but recommend checking out the book for this recipe and more to come.
Kim: I think I might have found a website I’d like to try. It’s called, The Vegan 8. All recipes have 8 ingredients or less which should make things a little less complicated and easy. It is at www.thevegan8.com. Let me know what you think.
Kim: God love you. You are so positive.
I got the news last week. This is the third time in a row it was elevated but the first time with a new doc. He asked me my thoughts and I said I don’t like taking drugs. He said my only other option is a plant-based diet. I’ve got three months to get it under control. And with that, a vegan is born. I could probably phase it in, but with only three months, I don’t know if I would make a significant enough impact to ward off the meds. Besides, I’m a black and white kinda girl. I’m all in or forget it. And some foods are just triggers for me- once I start, it is difficult to stop.
Pizza is a prime example. I cannot eat just one slice no matter how bad it is.
Yes, gradual change is probably better, but I have no intention of remaining a vegan if my body cooperates. He said I can gradually add in animal protein once the cholesterol is under control although he said it should be limited to 3oz. Hello smoked Gouda. And I can add in a few more more carbs once I’m at a healthy weight.
No restrictions on salt intake. Apparently my blood pressure is really good. Bonus for me because I’ve been using a lot of miso paste. It is a weird ingredient. And boy is it salty.
I completely agree with you about tofu. I’ve tried both firm and silken and they both just suck. Texturally, it weirds me out.
I love beans – black, kidney, garbanzo, black eyed, etc. They are all good in my book. I love artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, butternut squash, spinach, tomatoes, onions, garlic and mushrooms. I like zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, green beans, mixed baby greens, and Brussels sprouts. Not a fan of bitter greens (kale, collards, turnip, etc) or peppers. I also have weird texture issues – I don’t care for beets or turnips or rutabaga. I do a lot of roasting and grilling of veggies. Grilled asparagus is fantastic!
I can have fruit but limited to four servings a day with one being berries. Berries get their own serving because of their antioxidant properties. So if I only eat one fruit a day, it should be berries.
I’ve been using Forks Over Knives and The How Not To Die Cookbook. The eggplant rollatini from Forks is really tasty. And I liked the carrot noodles with pesto from How Not To Die (although I steamed the carrots too long and I used almonds instead of pine nuts and it made it gritty). I made a three bean chili from How Not To Die that I didn’t like. Tony said it wasn’t bad but he also put half a bottle of hot sauce on it.
I’ll see about getting my hands on Alicia’s book and I’ll start looking for a website we can try.
Carolyn: You are vegan. You are awesome. Fierce! You are…
This is where I stop again and process, as I have a few times since I read your email last night. This is a hard change. I am so in awe. I can’t think of a single other person I know who wouldn’t say simply: OK. Give me the drugs.
When did you receive the cholesterol news and make your decision? How are you feeling now?
I’m wondering if you are being hard on yourself, as you often are, by making immediate change vs. a phased approach. Are you? Is transition vs. cold turkey an option? Says the woman who always looks for every possible out first.
But everything I’ve read is all about setting yourself up for success with gradual behavioral change to ultimately sustain it, vs. sudden change and deprivation.Not that I went vegan, but when I lost weight, I know now after some additional learning it was because it became something fun (cooking and trying new recipes) vs. something horrid (depriving myself). The fast food and bread just phased out and don’t even taste good anymore.
Vegetables = friend, with a lot of experimentation, usually roasted, and lots of garlic.
Any restrictions on salt intake? Not that I use much salt and in fact, usually avoid it. But they do make the kale chips actually kinda tasty if you’re making them yourself. Store-bought is crap.
I bought Alicia Silverstone’s Kind Diet years ago. I really like a lot of her recipes. I actually just lent it to a coworker, so I’ll have to get it back to give you the specific recipes that I can recommend beyond the summer succotash. Lima/fava beans, who’da thunk it?
What research and other recommendations do you have so far?
BTW: Tofu = gross. Why bother?
Where do you stand on chickpeas and black beans? You’ve given me the list of “can’t have” and “hate it.” What is the starting point on “okay with it” and, besides spinach, “I like it”?
Have you had roasted radishes? For more than 45 years, no one ever told me about roasted radishes. I try not to be bitter about that.
And pears… are pears on the okay list? Because baked pears and cinnamon are lovely to me.
Want to pick a book or recipe site or two, and we’ll test and exchange recipe reviews once a week? It’ll be a good for both of us.
You encourage me to be a better person with your lead as you always do. You were doing yoga at least a decade before I finally tried it out, for crying out loud. And I really should go back to it. My back and hips are killing me.
Growing older together, sweetie. Love you.
Kim,
It is bad enough that I am 50 and have less years ahead of me than before me. It now seems that those precious years are to be exponentially less enjoyable. Why, you may ask? Cholesterol and my aversion to taking medicine. Since I won’t let my doctor prescribe me meds to control said cholesterol, my only other choice is to be on a low-carb, plant-based diet. What does that mean? It means that I am now a vegan. No joke.
Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, being vegan isn’t kind, at least it isn’t being kind to me. I’ve become acquainted with kale chips (this is nothing even close to a potato chip), miso paste (what are the Japanese thinking?), nutritional yeast (don’t ask), and millet (still not quite sure what I think about it). I’ve given up bacon, cheese, eggs, butter, chocolate, pasta, and God’s perfect creation- pizza.
Of course, one is going to lose weight on a plant-based diet. No one in their right mind thinks puréed tofu and mushrooms can ever be fooled into thinking that is a delicious imitation of Stroganoff sauce or that tempeh could in anyway be confused for meat. One serving of shepherds pie, where the meat is replaced by lentils and cauliflower purée is a substitute for mashed potatoes, is more than enough for me, thank you very much.
Low carb also means that bread is a thing of the past, sugar is a dirty word and fruit is limited to berries, apples and an occasional piece of melon. With my limited acceptable vegetable tolerance, I’m screwed if there is another ecoli outbreak with spinach.
My only saving grace is if I can get my weight and cholesterol under control, I can start to gradually add back in some animal protein – but not more than 3 oz per day, and some more complex carbs – hello sweet potatoes.
Getting old sucks eggs – sorry, make that fake egg substitutes. Real eggs have too much cholesterol.
If you have any good vegan recipes, (is there even such a thing?), shoot them my way. I’m pretty desperate.
Hungry and hankering for a grilled cheese sandwich.
carbloversgovegan.com