Anyone else doing veganuary?

[Ozzyskye]

I'm a guilty meat eater but for the past few years have done vegetarianuary. This year I want to try veganuary, at least at home (we go to pil for dinner once a week and don't want to add pressure!). Is anyone else giving it a go? Want to share any ideas? I could also do with losing a stone but though calorie counting and veganuary might be a bit much. I'm also doing dry January so that'll help hopefully!

My usual go to food is hearty food like stews, toad in the hole, cottage pie etc...

I can make a mean Passata for pasta, and I'm thinking chunky vegetable soups, tofu stir frys etc but would welcome any ideas! Also will look into some smoothies and juices with coconut milk or overnight oats for breakfast (when I actually eat it) I drink a lot of coffee but already prefer with oat milk.

I'm not planning on continuing past January, I enjoy meat and dairy too much but am willing to commit for a month at least and maybe discover some tasty dishes to integrate into my repertoire!

Aldi can fuck off with stocking loads of vegan stuff, and start putting more gluten free stuff in. Been Vegan is a choice. Been gluten free isn't.

Had some of the leftover soup for lunch and treated myself to a coconut milk mango bubble frappe with vegan cream for after! For a snack I've had a slice of toast with cashew butter and a sprinkle of toast on, and for dinner I've got roots pumpkin and spinach patties with spinach and pizza express vegan house dressing which I'm hoping will be tasty!
Tomorrow I'm off so think I'm going to try the puff pastry posted upthread, which I'm oddly excited about!

I've also discovered that alpro chocolate desserts are pretty passable for chocolate mousse and strawberry oatgurt with some nuts/seeds and gogi berries is tasty!

Lidl currently have their Vemondo chocolate mousse (will be a short lived veganuary thing) which are pretty good!

Alpro do a choc mousse too I saw it today in Sainsbury’s.

Oh yes the alpro chocolate ones are yummy!

I flit back between vegan and veggie tbf but I've never felt the need for any supplements. I think b12 is added to most of the soya and oat milks ect...too these days anyway. It usually tells you on the packaging if you look for one that says it.

Tbh most people are deficient in several nutrients at any one time, irregardless of what they eat.

I think if you just switch meat for processed fake meat alternatives (like people usually do when starting out) it's ultimately not going to be healthy longterm. But as you go along you learn how to cook with beans and nuts and lentils and tofu and tempeh and falafel and all other sorts of things. One recipie at a time.

And of course smaller meals and lunches are easier enough. Soups, salads, beans and baked potatoes etc.

Just don't kick yourself and backslide if you make a mistake or have a weakness day. Get back on the horse and carry on :) nobody is perfect, we just hopefully strive to do what good we can.

Oh I like those roots spinach things hope you’ll enjoy them 😊 I still get excited about new food after 13 years as a vegan, in a way that I didn’t before I made the switch.

If you mean those Strong Roots spinach nuggets, they are my favourite! I love them in a wrap with salad, vegan mayo and sriacha sauce 😋
I'm currently cooking the roasted sprout and tamarind traybake from the Green Roasting tin book. It's absolutely delicious! I thought I hated sprouts until I tried this but they are so different if you roast rather than boil them.

That sounds good, I'll have to dig my book out, I have loads of sprouts and some tamarind I don't know what to do with!

How are you getting on op?

@bakewellbride well thank you, didn't even falter when mil brought out the brisket yesterday 😏

The roots things are quinoa coated burgers with pumpkin and spinach in - they were very tasty!

@Ozzyskye well done. Do you like tofu? I fried some in some coconut oil and had it with green vegan pesto, aldi grated vegan cheese and loads of veg. Was really nice. Easy to make too.

And pasta!

@bakbakewellbride I do! I've bought some and I think DH is going to do something with it in the air fryer. And we're going for a vegan wagamas tomorrow which I'm looking forward to

I'm pleased I'm getting so many more fruit and veg in so far, have easily exceeded 5 a day both days where as sometimes I normally wouldn't get 5 a week I'm very snacky though and have just scarfed some hummus and pitta then oatgurt with sunflower seeds and cranberries - need more self control but I suppose it's better to snack on something containing some goodness rather than just a bit of cheese or something...

What does everyone do with their tofu?
I can never find a marrinade that quite works.

Using it as a scrabled egg substitute (scramble it with tumaric, garlic powder and onion powder) is alright on avacado toast I find.

But it's just for stir fry ect/dinner recipes I've never really warmed to it tbh. I prefer the texture of tempeh I think too.

Air fryer crispy tofu is a game changer.

What do you do with tempeh? I want to try it but it intimidates me 😳

Pretty much the same as I do with tofu tbh, whack it in a stir-fry with some soy sauce. Or a prebought flavoring.

It's really supposed to be marinated for 15 min too though tbh. Commonly in soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil and I believe rice wine vinegar? But I never follow the specifics so it never works out for me haha. Also I'm impatient. So soy sauce it is xD

How do you do tofu in the airfryer please?

Which brand do you use? I find tofoo better for crispy tofu and cauldron better for scramble.

Mine are still in the fridge to try as I’m still working my way through all the vegan new year home baking. I was meant to be eating a bit healthier in January but it hasn’t really worked out so far!

Maybe get back to me when you’ve done 30 years without meat, as I have.

The occasional pretend sausage to fit in socially at a BBQ is really not an issue, for those of us who’ve spent our adult lives trying to reduce our cruelty.

But as you’re almost entirely new to this, you inevitably have strong opinions that will soften with exposure to reality.

Think I've tried both tofu brands. I usually get the caldren one that's precut for stir frying when pos though. I think the big block one is tofoo...usually use that for eggs, tried cornstarch on it to make it crispy once but that was a fail lol.

Maybe I need an airfryer...or more patience not to just stir them all in with the veggies before the crisp up.

Yeah there's a difference between whole food plant based and vegan. The former is a diet choice. The later is more of an ethical/moral one.

Your health doesn't have to suffer and many will find it improved as a result of a vegan approach, but ultimately its not about what we can gain from the change, but showing compassion to animals. And as you mentioned, the environmental concerns.

Some are not fussed about health at all and just as some people happily eat burgers and pizza all day, will eat nothing but mock meats. It depends on the person. There needs to be lazy options too as some vegans want them as they aren't fussed about health but just don't want to contribute to animal agriculture.

Oh, pmsl - Just seen that Katie Hopkins is who they've used to argue against veganism at Oxford Uni xD

I think if anything that'll help the vegan proposal lol.

Haha I suppose she has to try and make a living somehow.

Wagamama for lunch- vegan ribs are lovely (I don't like actual pork ribs due to the texture but these were really nice) and vegan Karen lomen which I already know I like anyway

I made a version this the other day when I had hardly any food in and it was so good: https://nadiashealthykitchen.com/vegan-chickpea-peanut-butter-curry/#recipe

I subbed cayenne pepper for sricha and added a tsp each of ginger, cumin, smoked paprika, tumeric, curry and dried coriander because I love spices 🙃

It's going to be my new staple for when we've run out of fresh food!