Is there a site that goes into detail on every substitute? Like, my failure last time was none of the subs were any good, but its been a decade almost. stuff evolves. I love the taste and and feel of so many animal products. A roomie is going vegan, and I kinda want to join. But I’m scared of missing out. I FOMO hard. I want to. I really do, but I am gourmand hedonist who loves food and loves cooking for other people so much. I am a much better cook because of what I learned when I tried last, but god damn I NEED cheese and eggs in life you feel? I need something that compares to avoid that FOMO.
But when I was vegan I was in the best shape of my life, so I want to go back because who doesn’t want to look good and be confident?
TLDR: A knowledge repository with the closest to 1:1 for animal product vegan versions that get damn close. I don’t want to miss out if that makes sense.
The trick is to not eat disappointing imitation food at all. Make food that’s good for it’s own sake and just so happens to be vegan
imo, it is easier to ignore/shun most “replacement food” and to develop an appreciation and deep enjoyment of new meals that are full of vegetables while being rich and satisfying. I have had a much easier time just learning new recipes and exploring new meals than approaching food with a “this is an acceptable replacement for what I have lives with my whole life” approach. Once you have more than a few favorite options of vegan meals, for each type of meal throughout the day, sticking to those becomes easier because you are enjoying it, and it is also not a facsimile of something you actually want
So basically I need to learn how to ignore those cravings? I gave up cigs… I think i can do this
Cheese is unlike cigs in that once you’re “off” it there isn’t that baseline level of craving all the time for the rest of your life. If I woke up tomorrow and all dairy cheese was magically cruelty free I could take it or leave it.
I’ve heard a lot of vegans say the same as well. So in short, you definitely got this :meow-bounce:
but god damn I NEED cheese and eggs in life
:bugs-no:
My overall response will be to say to avoid premising your attempt to go vegan on substitutes and to then still recommend you some substitutes.
It is usually impractical to go vegan with the expectation that you’ll be eating basically the same foods, as omnis eat a lot of meat and dairy and while many substitutes are great, you’ll just be setting yourself up for disappointment from the ones that aren’t.
Instead, try to eat foods that are “accidentally” vegan or nearly so. Those foods will taste the same. Indian, Southeast Asian, and East Asian food cultures have many options fitting this description. Most Indian dals are incredibly nutritious and accidentally vegan. Those that aren’t usually just have some cream or yogurt in them and vegan yogurt will work as a perfect substitute for both in dals. Phad Thai is vegan if you sub fish sauce and eggs - soy sauce and black salt stir fried tofu both work well enough. Veggie Chinese dumplings, green onion pancake, sesame noodles - all accidentally vegan.
Some other options that are accidentally vegan or easy to make vegan from whole ingredients:
- Chili
- Hummus
- Falafel
- Pita (combine with the last three and tabouli you’ve got a nice meal).
- 95% of tofu-heavy dishes, including veggie tofu pho and salt and pepper tofu.
- Peas and rice (a coconut rice with red beans)
- Fried rice, sub tofu black salt egg
- Guacamole
- Rice & beans
- tortillas (combine with the above and you’ve got burritos)
- black bean burgers
- most breads
- olive oil for dipping bread in
Adopting the above eating habits will help your palette adapt to no longer eating meat and dairy without making you frustrated with substitutes.
Anyways, substitutes can still help, just treat them like something that is nice to have, like a noveltu or a way to have comfort food, not your daily meals. Keep in mind that many substitites aren’t considered vegan by every vegan bevause they are often owned by meat/dairy companies or use animal testing / animal product testing. Anyways, here are some substitutes that do the job:
-
Vegan yogurt is delicious and while it tastes a little different, I prefer it. Tastes cleanesr and a little nutty.
-
Sliced vegan cheeses from chao, follow your heart, and violife are superior to the rest and are nice to eat straight out of the fridge. In a grilled cheese, the texture will be a little off, but the flavor is good enough that it can be a comfort food. It takes a while to melt, so use low-medium heat. On a burger, use the trick of adding a little water and covering after putting cheese on top: the steam will melt it nicely.
-
beyond/impossible burgers have a similar quality to a thin back yard grill burger. They also work well in Chinese dishes calling for a little mince.
-
Miyoko’s butter is fantastic. Use the salted one on a nice baguette.
-
Miyoko’s mozzarella wheel is delicious antipasti style.
-
Miyoko’s weird liquid pizza cheese is legit. Follow the instructions.
-
Frozen chik’n nuggets are just as good if not better than omni ones.
-
Soyrizo is really good.
-
Soy curls are very versatile. Boil them for a minute before doing things with them.
-
Better than boullion has good vegan substitites for various broths.
-
Vegan oyster sauce is good.
-
Follow your heart mayo is good.
-
Oat milk is great with coffee.
There’s lots more but really I mostly recommend acclimating yourself to accidentally vegan foods.
god damn I NEED cheese and eggs in life you feel?
No, I do not. Imagine saying this about any other act of violence. “But it makes me feel good.” So what? Shut the fuck up.
