Is anyone here vegan?

[cookiebaby]

I am just wondering if anyone here is a vegan and if so, what do you typically eat? I don't eat red meat, dairy, or eggs. I was eating chicken and fish but would like to take the plunge. I have the book 'Becoming Vegan' but would like additional advice, recommendations, tips etc. Thanks, Cookiebaby

 

[dmd]

I frequent the www.vegsource.com website. They have a discussion board there of people doing the Eat to Live program. Lots of good info. Also a recipe thread always going. Wish I could do it without worrying about my anemia. deb

 

[saia11]

Cookiebaby,
I've been a vegetarian all my life, and converted my husband while we were dating. This past weekend we actually became vegans after I read Dr. Joel Fuhrman's book "Eat to Live" which I highly recommend if you hovering on the edge, it will convince you to at least try it for awhile.
Advice:
1. Make sure you like vegetables, fruits, and beans. A large variety of them. That way you will be sure to get adequate nutrition. Instead of going vegan cold turkey, try going totally vegetarian for awhile and vegan 3 days a week. Then try eating that way for a week and see if you like it (you'll also probably notice that during the all vegan week you feel better than when you were mixing the vegetarian lifestyle with animal products)
2. If you're not taking in any animal source than you'll need to supplement with vitamin B-12 or eat something like B-12 fortified cereal with soy milk.
3. Read labels and eat what you like, being vegan (at least in terms of what you eat) is becoming easier all the time. (But did you know there's animal products in your tires, cement, etc?)
4. Soups and salads are a must, but make sure they taste good! Get familiar with all kinds of herbs and seasonings and be willing to experiment. Buy a new fruit or vegetable each week to keep your eating fresh and fun.
5. READ LABELS, sometimes there's animal products where you would least expect them.
Any other questions you have or types of recipes that you might like?
HTH and enjoy!
Mattea

 

[Mckmain]

Just wanted to chime in on being Vegan for the last 10 months. Like Deb I love the vegsource site and also have read Eat to Live. Mattea gave you some great tips. Kathryn has some good advice too.Another book I liked was "The Food Revolution" by John Robbins. A good reason I don't eat animal protein......Carole

 

[kathryn]

Hi, Cookiebaby!
I've been a vegan for about 15 years (and a vegetarian before that, since 1976). I found this thread where several vegetarians/vegans (including yours truely) talk about what they eat on a typical day:

http://69.0.137.118/dc/dcboard.php?..._id=103745&mesg_id=103745&listing_type=search

 

[WRITER]

Well, a few of us have become regulars when this topic comes up! I shop at Whole Foods, which now carries prepared Seitan, a wheat based protein. I used to only be able to find it in a form that required a fair amount of preparation --- now, it comes in premade chunks you can thrown into stir fry, etc. Hummus is also a vegan favorite, I bought a small foodprocessor so I can make my own. There is also now frozen ground soy, which cooks and even tastes a lot like ground beef -- I put it in chili and it tastes great. As suggested in other posts, veganessentials.com is a great website. They also carry vegan vitamins. Good luck!

 

[mogambo]

I am "mostly" vegan. I eat eggs that come from a veterinarian I know who rescues chickens from the pound. So, no guilt there! But I only get them occasionally. I don't like cheese or any other dairy products. I love meat, but only eat it a few times a year. Usually when there are no decent vegan options at a restaurant. (I hate cheese). My main reasons are environmental, animal welfare.

I eat a lot of beans, tofu, tempeh, nuts, kefir, soy protein powder, spirulina, fake meat by Quorn and Boca and Gardenburger. Some of these are not purely vegan (have egg whites or something). Grains.

And of course, TONS of fruit and vegetables, mostly organic, and as local as I can.