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!

[AbFabT]

C&R, it's dangerous - they are SOOOO delicious, I could eat bag after bag! Enjoy! And they sell out fast - been a few times early-ish in the day, and there're none left.

Welcome, Spanglemum.

Question for the vegans:
Vitamin K: I am due any day now (actually, I am now overdue*!!! :)) and I've found out the Vit K for newborns injection or oral liquid is not vegan. What did you all do? DH and I are torn, but our beliefs are that we do whatever we can, but not at jeopardy to our child. But I am still :( about the prospect. Is there an alternative I don't know about yet? I doubt Vit K deficiency is likely, but we're not prepared to risk it.

*And not planning on being induced unless absolutely necessary - I am feeling grand, but did you know, the inducement they give you is based on pig semen??? Gross!

[CakeandRoses]

AbFab - last i read i thought the injection was ok and it was just the oral one that wasn't? On that basis we opted for the jab with DD recently.

Both of my dc fell into higher risk categories (both were c-sec, forceps AND bruised!) so I don't think I'd have taken the risk not to give it.

Normally, it's a small risk re the vit K but can have v bad consequences so I'm really not sure what I'd do in your place. The risk is also higher for bf babies which as a vegan I'm assuming you're more likely to do.

This link is pretty balanced info: www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/health/vitamink/

And good luck!

Hello spangle! Could you ease ds gently into other dishes by keeping things a bit similar? e.g. rice but with stroganoff or chili/bolognese (with pasta for others perhaps), and veggie stew and dumplings with lots of lentils in it or lentil based shepherds pie?

At least lentils and rice are v healthy - could be much worse!

[AbFabT]

Thanks, C&R. Yes, I do believe it USED to be vegan, but as per many things, they muck it up and now it isn't! Grrr!
It's not worth the risk to us, to not have it, I was just hoping there was a suitable alternative.

[ClimberChick]

Hi all,

Just signing in (having been directed here, thanks ).

I've been vegan for 9 years now (including through my pregnancy). Though I always feel like I'm not a proper vegan, paranoid that there's stuff I don't know about. I guess that's the price of not knowing any others.

We're planning to raise DD as mostly vegan, introduce her things, so that when she goes to party's we won't be telling her what she can and can't have. DH isn't vegan, but kinda is by default of me doing the cooking. Though there is a lot he doesn't eat due to welfare.

[AbFabT]

Hey, ClimberChick.
Welcome to the thread! :)

Glad you have found us! Hope you can fill any gaps you need to here, and broaden your vegan circle. Whereabouts are you?

How old is your DD?

[ClimberChick]

I haven't read all the back thread yet , but will get there when I'm procrastinating at work I'm sure .

I'm in the US for what should be a two year job. Been here nearly 4 months now. DD is 7 months.

I've never thought about vit K. tbh the drug issue is one I've quite tackled. I don't take the pill anymore, but I've been on mefenamic acid for years (well not the last year) which I know has stuff in. Tried switching the non-capsule form, but that still had milk? derivatives in.

It's the non food stuff I've struggled with. Where I have found alternatives we've made sure to have vegan cosmetics (100% here) toiletries (only thing I'm not sure about is the alcoholic toners and cleansers) and household cleaning products (if there's an Ecover product for something we have one or equivalent).

Shoes I have made sure that I don't have leather, but can't realistically afford the 100% vegan ones. I'd assumed that shoes can have animal glues in etc. So these kind of products and plastics etc are things I have no clue about.

OK didn't start writing this post meaning to go into all that

[RoxieP]

I used to be vegan for a while and never felt better, but am now back to being lacto-ovo veg. Sad thing is is it was probably because after moving from London to Manchester then to Devon I found it increasingly difficult to eat out/shop and I was also feeling increasingly guilty about the panic and "trouble" I caused when I was a dinner guest! Though actually I personally think it's incredibly easy and cheap to cater for a vegan!

If only the rest of the world were a bit more clued up - I have had a few raised eyebrows since being pregnant even for being veggie - but ironically most vegans/veggies I know are extremely knowledgable about how to keep their diet balanced and are probably more likely to get everything they need.

My DP is a carnivore and he eats meat at home but if I'm cooking I will cook veggie and he doesn't mind. His folks are Buddhists anyway so he grew up not eating a lot of meat. I think I will bring up my DD eating what I eat but if my DP/other people want to feed them meat then that's fine as long as they want to eat it and their diet is balanced. I was not raised veggie by my parents, but everyone I know who was rebelled against it and were scoffing KFC as soon as their parents back were turned! I think vegetarianism/veganism has to be a personal choice and a decision made by yourself - all we can do is encourage our children to eat as healthy and balanced a diet as possible and steer them in the right direction! I agree though that healthwise, a well-planned, mindful vegan diet has everything an adult/child/pregnant/breastfeeding mother needs.

[AbFabT]

Hey, ClimberChick. Ooh, I love the US - whereabouts are you, if you don't mind saying? I found New York amazing for vegans, and San Fran was awesome, Oregon was ace too. Great make up options as well! I don't use toner or anything, so I don't know about that!

Go into anything you like - the more chat the better!

Hi, RoxieP! Same - I use that expression when I explain my conversion to veganism -never felt better! I am lucky to live in London, with great access to veganised products such as vegan cheese, ice cream, sweets, meat substitutes etc, though I did do without for the first few years when these things either didn't exist, or I hadn't found them. I cook a lot without any of that stuff, but it's nice for a treat. And I am a decent baker, so we cover cakes/flapjacks etc fine too! Eating out is also easy, though my favourite restaurant is actually just our local curry house, which is mainstream omni, but does great veg*n options.

It's much easier for me with a vegan DH. We are totally agreed on raising our child(ren) vegan, but of course, you can only teach them so much, and hope they take it on board. I know two ladies who were raised vegan from birth, and neither rebelled! So there is hope! :)

[RoxieP]

Yeah I always found curry to be an easy choice as they don't really use eggs and little dairy so as long as ghee isn't used all the veg curries are vegan. Lots of lovely dahl and chick peas too - yum! Thing is I have developed a taste for paneer cheese since going back to the dark side so I would miss that now if I went back to veganism!

I used to love going to Japanese restos too. As long as they haven't used fish stock in the sushi rice then the veggie sushi rolls are vegan apart from the omeletty ones! And miso soup. And vegetable tempura - mmmmmm!!!

Quite often used to ask for a cheeseless pizza at Italians too - just lots of lovely veg like roasted aubergines and olives with lashings of olive oil... I defy anyone who says veganism will make you thin and underfed!

[CakeandRoses]

roxie I was raised as a veggie from birth, have never eaten meat and then went vegan about 13 years ago - so it doesn't always follow that all children rebel against a veggie upbringing.

Personally I'm so pleased that my parents raised me as a vegetarian. That's actually more of a choice than giving me meat before I was even aware of where it came from iyswim.

all who has tried the new soy-free cheezley? I love it and prefer to give it to ds so he's not eating too much soya. He's also become a fan of nutritional yeast 'cheese' sauces on macaroni or brocolli/cauli lately - yum!

[CakeandRoses]

Hey all,

The pizza express 'create your pizza" competition has short-listed a vegan entry and it's currently been voted to 2nd place!

It looks like a yummy lebanese number.

Vote here: www.pizzaexpress.com/create-your-pizza/vote

[ClimberChick]

I forgot to add this to my watching list, so thought I'd remark it at the same time.

[AbFabT]

Cakes, I've tried the soy-free cheese - had it on pizza, couldn't tell the difference. It's all good.

What do you all do about pain-relief for your children? Not that DS has anything to complain about yet, but I'd like to be prepared - Calpol seems to be the answer for everyone else but I read the ingredients and it doesn't sound nice. Any vegan solutions?
Did your children all have the eight-week jabs? I expect they are not vegan, but we are planning on having them, unless I hear enough against them.

Oh, and in case you hadn't heard of this book, some vegan friends sent us this as a gift for DS - That's Why We Don't Eat Animals - brilliant idea.

[CakeCuresAll]

HI everyone :)

I've been veggie for years and recently went dairy free. We eat mainly vegan now - just ditching the eggs. Last out will be the honey I think.

Did you find it hard to tell family members?

They struggle with the veggie bit tbh and I'm worried they'll have me committed!

Ds is 18 months and has been reacting to dairy which has given me a kick to make us fully dairy free. We've not had cows milk, spread, yoghurt's or cheese for a few months anyway but weren't being too strict when in other peoples houses.


Anyway - I am now excitedly menu planning and surfing for information - can anyone point me to good sites to check out?

:o

[CakeCuresAll]

C&R I voted for that pizza too!

I like the look of the book AbfabT !

Do you all use much soya in your diets?

I read that there were links to male infertility to boys given high soya diets growing up so now I'm too scared to include it too much as I want to be a granny one day (many many years from now)

[CakeCuresAll]

Ok - last post from me :) (for now)

I found a few links on previous pages thanks!

And vegan donuts.....I was in co-op yesterday!

[AbFabT]

Hello, CakeCuresAll, and welcome.

Honey = bee puke! Does that help?! :)

Our families are all fine with our choices - they can see we are sensible and know what we are doing.

Re the soya, in case you missed the link upthread: Article about the anti-soya brigade: Here.

[ClimberChick]

I tend not to eat soya products. When I do (because I'm lazy) I always feel bloated and horrible (and generally dirty if that makes sense). Though I am partial to choc milk, which is odd as soya milk normally makes me feel as ill as regular milk.

I'm happy for DD to have the odd bit of meat and eggs, but not dairy.

I'm in California AbFabT, which I thought would be really easy, but am in a rel small city (San Fran this is not). There are a few veggie/vegan resturants but I've been suprised by how much normal places don't like to modify their meals i.e. they won't do it without cheese.

Vegan donuts, trust them to come up with them after I leave the country.

Saturday pizzas were a favourite of mine. Used to have bases in the freezer then go the deli and pick loads of treats to put on them. (Also did half of it as garlic bread)

DD loves daal as well spangle

As for drugs, as mentioned earlier this is where I have made no real effort. Each year I try to change one non-diet thing.

[ClimberChick]

sorry it's processed soya I tend to avoid.

[ClimberChick]

but that's because I tend to avoid processed goods in general. I don't like jarred sauces etc, not even tinned tomotoes (I find they tend to dilute flavours I'm trying to add)

I'll stop rambling now

[ppeatfruit]

IMO and experience if you look at herbs like camomile, they are ideal for DCs; good for sleeping and teething and elder is brill for colds and sore throats.

[ClimberChick]

I'm starting to feel like I'm stuck for dinner ideas and alternating between lentil dishes and bean dishes. Maybe we could say what we've had for dinner today to help inspire me us.

Me: red lentils (while kinda solid) with toms and other veg seasoned with ginger, coriander, cumin, parsley with boiled potatoes

[ppeatfruit]

I had a vegan shepherd's pie; filling of chopped pumpkin, carrot, onion, garlic and leek gently curried. Topping of mashed parsnips.

[CrimboCakeandRoses]

we had vegetable stroganoff with brown rice - yum!

[CrimboCakeandRoses]

and for tonight i'm dithering between:

old-skool stew and dumplings (probably with a can of beans or lentils chucked in)

Fast food dinner of Fry's hot dogs and potato wedges

oh and shepherds pie now that ppeat's made me fancy that too!