Food lifestyle question...N3TR

theholmanherd · June 2014

I'm considering going gluten- and soy-free vegan. I already eat mostly organic and gluten- and soy-free (intolerance to them), and I would love to return to my paleo/primal lifestyle, but our budget won't allow for that much meat at this time.

Question:

If you are or have been vegan, what are some tips? Since I can't have soy/tofu, what are some of your favorite recipes that actually taste good? I've tried a few on my own, but they don't always turn out well, so I would love some recommendations. I would also like to know what you eat on the go, as I will be a counselor at a kids camp soon and I need to know what kind of snacks to bring to supplement the very few things I will likely be able to eat while I'm there. Thanks in advance; I know this is way off topic.

theholmanherd · June 2014

thanks! @Je11yBean85

DharmaChick · June 2014

I am "nearly" vegan - I am vegetarian, but DH is not, so he pushes the eggs and seafood from time to time, but I rarely consume them and I never have dairy or other animal products. I also avoid soy and flax.

I don't avoid gluten, so I do have a decent amount of seitan and whole-grain based products for protein. However, I also cook with a lot of lentils, chickpeas, black beans, etc. I recently found tofu made from hemp, which is pretty good.

Many non-vegan recipes can easily be adjusted by replacing the meat with another protein source. Tacos and stir-fry are particularly easy.

I agree that OhSheGlows has some great recipes. I also recommend:
https://www.theppk.com (and any of Isa's cookbooks)
https://fatfreevegan.com/
https://www.cestlavegan.com/
https://www.olivesfordinner.com/

For snacks, I usually turn to fruit, almonds, and almond- or coconut-milk based yogurt. Fruit/nut based snack bars are good, too, like Larabar or Purebar.

theholmanherd · June 2014

Yeah, I would go paleo if I could. I think, for now, I'm going to transition completely off gluten first. Then I will go from there. I already don't eat seafood and rarely have red meat. I have a soy allergy and gluten has been upsetting my stomach lately, so I need to focus on that first. Thanks for the help, ladies!

pblge · June 2014

*Lurker from IF*

I'm a vegetation but married a vegan, so that's how we eat 95% of the time. I love oh she glows. Also recommend vegetarian times and the post punk kitchen for recipes. Consider starting with an ethnic food style that you like, such as Indian or Mexican. Many other cultures rely heavily on beans so you don't have to adjust much at all.

There's tons you can do vegan without soy or wheat. The while world of nuts and legumes is there for protein. We don't do any of the fake cheeses like daiya, but make our own with cashews ( oh she glows had a pretty good recipe).

This is definitely a restrictive diet, and you won't be eating or at a lot of places, but most people feel better on a diet like this. I actually cook a lot, so let me know if you want any particular recipes or tips.

For on the go, I second the bars idea, although I try not to make a habit of it. We buy very high quality protein powder (no soy no whey) and make smoothies. I'm a big fan of yummy dips that aren't hummus (over it), but oh still eats it every day. Apples and other fruit, of course. Bananas with almond butter.

Good luck!!

tumbleweed123 · June 2014

I'm veg - almost vegan. I will just add that I find that I need to supplement with B-12 vitamins. I get the ones you dissolve under your tongue. Obviously, check with your doc before adding anything supplement wise, but being veg, I found that I had a deficiency. I go heavy on chickpeas, beans, and nuts. I eat tons of nut butters. I put peanut butter on everything. I do Lara or kind bars for on the go. When I'm really thinking ahead, I put trail mix in my bag. I avoid soy (doesn't make me feel great and I have pcos) so I use mostly almond milk and coconut yogurt when it comes to dairy substitutes. When I cook, I tend to do big salads (always add nuts and beans on top), vegan soups, and sautéed veggies. I also do smoothies with hemp protein.

mindaa · June 2014

Thanks for this thread, love the new recipe ideas!

As a website, I'd add:

https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/recipes/printable-recipe-cards/

We are vegetarian who aim to eat vegan as much as possible and I would have such a hard time cutting out gluten as well! Like others have said, we cook with a lot of squash, beans and grains.

Will you eat polenta? Lots of things can be done with it from pizza crust to Mexican-style casseroles. I serve it along with spaghetti squash.

Portobello mushrooms make great quick burgers and personal pizzas (which were a hit with my family, even with my Atkins-loving dad).

On-the-go is tricky. At work I eat lots of fruit, light popcorn, wasabi peas and raw almonds. On the weekends, we eat tons of PBJ. And bars.

sundaybrunch · June 2014

I love soba noodles. They're made of buckwheat (not wheat, no relation to it) and are a good source of protein in addition to being good both hot and cold. I love to saute garlic and onion and then wilt a bunch of kale. Mix that with soba noodles and you've got a tasty, well-rounded meal.

Another website recommendation is 101 Cookbooks. The author takes beautiful photos and does quite a bit of traveling so it sort of does double-duty as a travel blog too.

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Food lifestyle question...N3TR

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