Vegan-Vegan friendly MNetters- the new thread-sign in here!

[anyabanya]

Hi Vegan and vegan-friendly MNetters!

Just wanted to know if anyone was out there and wanted to form a support thread- to talk about food/ veganism, 'stuff' in general.

I am late 30s, have been an on and off vegan for about 6 years, and after a hiatus of about 9 months or so am back 'on'. I adore cooking with a passion, and love reading food blogs and vegan food blogs.

I would very much like to exchange thoughts/tips/frustrations with anyone else out there!

Thanks, poppyboo. I am tempted! :)

I fell off the wagon this morning and ate two eggs layed by my MIL's chickens. She made me poached eggs on toast. Before this morning I hadn't eaten eggs for over two weeks :/ feel sort of annoyed with myself.

Poppyboo, I'm sure the chicken that laid them didn't care so don't be too cross with yourself! I'm still on the fence about eggs - seems silly to waste them. I am aware of the whole male chick culling thing but that pales into insignificance compared to what goes on in the dairy industry.

You have sold the breadmaker idea to me, there must be space in my kitchen somewhere...

NoHun, the fake parmesan is a bit powdery but I've got used to that now. The only other fake cheese I've tried (tescos free from & redwood soy-free) were so revolting it's put me off trying any others!

Lentil, have you tried the super melting cheezley?
The breadmaker is AMAZING! Buy Panasonic! Fresh chunky bread with lentil soup....yum yum!

Lentil thanks for support about eggs, I haven't made my mind up 100% about eggs either, I'm just not sure I like the idea of it, I used to bake a lot though so I'm not sure where my baking is going to fit into all this...

lentil I've just got myself a Vegusto cheese pack (6 cheeses) to try.

So far results are good - the ones I have tried so don't taste all that cheesy, but they are pretty edible (compared to Cheezly, Tofutti, Scheese) so I think they may fill the cheese shaped hole in my life.

So far I have tried

Cheese Snacks: these are a minging greasy stuck together blob in the packet. Whack em in a panini press till they go golden and they are amazing. Slightly crunchy, slightly chewey, fairly cheesy and very very moreish.

Classic: has a strong taste, but doesn't taste like cheese (maybe a bit garlicky?). It's growing on me now, at first I wasn't sure as I was comparing it to cheese, but it's actually quite nice in it's own right and has a really nice texture.

Speaking of all things cheese, Taifun basil tofu is, bizarrely, a really good mozzarella substitute. Same sort of texture and a creamy basil taste.

poppy I'm a great fan of cakes (though don't have a particularly refined palate). I generally bake standard recipes and just sub the dairy ingredients for the vegan alternative. There are a few commercial egg-replacers out there, as well as lots of home made versions. If you google vegan egg substitute you'll find loads of ones you can try out.

Speaking of cheese substitutes, I just made this recipe for mac n cheese that uses butternut squash. Made it with wholemeal pasta and broccoli. DD and I both loved it, it's pretty low-fat too. I think its success depends on how much you like nutritional yeast - I am quite keen on the stuff! When I first started experimenting with veganism about 5 years ago I wasn't very convinced by the taste but now I love it.

Thanks for the encouragement on the baking front ItsAll! I made chocolate crunchy where I subbed butter for Pure spread, first night me and DH missed the butter taste, the kids didn't notice at all and now it's all gone!

Tonight we're eating mash mashed with Pure, vegan sausages, curly kale, runner beans from the garden with gravy. Tonight I plan on trying 85% dark green and blacks choc and montezumas vegan 73% very dark choc!

For breakfast I've been eating oatmeal every morning but I ran out of it so tomorrow I plan on having essential waitrose fruited tea cakes which appear to be vegan, toasted with pure spread. I also picked up essential waitrose bourbon creams with look like they're vegan to have with a cup of herbal tea at some point tomorrow. Still trying to get my treats in LOL

What does everyone on on here melt in top of pizzas?

Thanks for the cheesey suggestions, I'll have to be brave & try some out!

Poppy, if it's treats you're after... co-op donuts are vegan (including the mustard ones, yummy!) I've been getting through quite a lot of co-op bourbons too. And RitterSport marzipan is vegan too. The Pure website has lots of cake recipes & stuff. I made some gorgeous flapjacks with Pure - put chopped dried apricots, raisins etc in them so I could almost convince myself that they're healthy!

Mango, just checked out the recipe you tried, I'm intrigued, did it taste really 'cheesy'?

Mango that recipe looks amazing - just went out and bought some squash so I can try it :)

Thanks for letting me know about Pure website with recipes, I had no idea!
I'd heard about co-op doughnuts...yum!
Also Jammie dodgers are vegan...Oreo's in the USA are vegan but not here, that makes me cry!
I think some of the Doves Farm biscuits are vegan, Hob Nobs are and so are digestives....

Ginger Nuts are vegan too...

Off to look at the Pure website :)

Oh yum, ginger nuts!

I think I need to start keeping a list of vegan treats in my purse!
Lentil I'm trying the flapjack recipe of the Pure website tomorrow, thank you for suggesting it!

OMG, the green and blacks dark chocolate was DISGUSTING!
What am i going to do about not being able to eat milk chocolate? I'm craving crunchy bars, bounty bars, wispa's :(

You can get vegan milk chocolate :) Get thee to Holland and Barrett and have a browse :)

www.veganstore.co.uk/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=1&Category_Code=510

From a quick google :)

Don't despair...

Bugger

www.veganstore.co.uk/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=1&Category_Code=510

VEGAN MARS BARS?? OMG! (grin)

...quite expensive though, aren't they? Do any shops stock them or can you only get them online?

You can get the Plamil ones quite a lot of places. I have never seen the vegan Crunchie/snickers /mars/milky way before. I just googled, I have never used that site, or tried most of those bars.

I tend to stick to good dark chocolate now so I can only eat a square at a time rather than a whole bar at a time :)

Hi! I'm veggie and write a vegetarian/vegan blog (details in profile). Subscribing to this thread to gain and share ideas...hope that's ok?!

Btw, I've found that Orgran No Egg works really well in a 'normal' sponge/fairy cake recipe, using dairy-free/Pure spread.