Guest Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Is anyone here Vegan? My family and I wish to try eating a vegan diet for the next 7 weeks and I would be grateful for any advice/recipe ideas. I'm busy reading books about it now! Don't know how we will cope without eating our delicious eggs though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 That's what always got me Ginette - eggs I've started eating meat we've raised now (or know where it has been raised and how) so not much help - I have a couple of books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 I realised after I'd posted that it might be a rather silly question. Why would anyone who keeps chickens be a vegan? Still, with the help of soya mince (which I use anyway) I think the meals will be OK. It's more the after-school snacks and lunch boxes that will be harder. I'd be grateful for any ideas anyone has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 I'll have a look in my books Ginette - in the meantime, for after school snacks, there are always flapjacks made with vegan margarine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Thank you Lesley, that would be helpful. Do you know where I can buy Vegan margarine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Usually at healthfood shops Ginette. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Seeing that you still want to eat your wonderful eggs try to be veggie instead-a lot less hard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Seeing that you still want to eat your wonderful eggs try to be veggie instead-a lot less hard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Thanks noeglu, but I am already a vegetarian and the rest of the family only eat meat occasionally. I'm keeping an open mind and we'll see how we get on. The younger two children (11 and 7) are not going to do it strictly and will have eggs for breakfast and 5 pints of milk a week between them. There are so many soya products now and we eat a lot of vegetables too, that we should be able to manage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Hi Ginette! I'll answer properly in a minute, but first, am I right in assuming that this is for Lent? My elder daughter (Charlot, 18 ) rang me last night and asked for ideas, "what could she give up for Lent?" Difficult one for her; as children they always gave up sweets or similar, and I'm considering stopping chocolate (but might be unbearable to live with ) But, Charlot is Vegan, and has been for over a year!(which made me look at this post.) I worry a bit because of her development, but she does eat really healthily, (but I wish she'd eat eggs!) and actually thinks and plans her food instead of living on junk (like her elder brother ). Anyway, couldn't think of anything she could give up! But, it does mean that I can probably help a bit. (What about vegan plus eggs? ) Long term, diet needs checking for missing essentials, but 7 wks should be ok! She uses Pure spread, (all the family eat the yellow pack sunflower one, some other make sunflower spreads have lactose) which is in some supermarkets, and finds Alpro soya milk the best. The hardest thing we find is reading every label to see if it has any form of egg or milk in it at all, as the most surprising things do ( ) It's worth getting a couple of cookery books from the library if you can, or buy a good one. Now my mind has gone blank, but I'll remember this topic & try & add some ideas as we go along. Grd posted a lovely stir fry recipe a while ago, so I hope he adds to this thread too. Plus, I'll be looking for ideas for Charlot! She doesn't personally miss anything at all, and looks really well on it, but needs to watch some minerals & vitamins. She'll even be having egg replacenent powder/soya milk pancakes tomorrow! I expect you probably eat a similar range of food already, Ginette. Houmus, veg. casserole, roasted veg, lentil bake, lentil, bean & chickpea feast etc. She makes her own pizza as she has found vegan "cheese" now she's in Brighton. She's found a few useful shops there, but it's a struggle here, so some of it may depend on how good your local food/health shops are. Very best wishes, Sheila xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourfinches Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Rather than give something up for Lent you could suggest to Charlot that she takes something on. (It means giving up time) Some people choose to spend time each day doing something for others. I thought I might give up having tonic in my gin! Morag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 That's a good tip, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Thank you so much Sheila! There's always someone on this wonderful forum with the info/experience I need! Brighton is a wonderful place for vegans, there are even vegan shoe shops! You are right that this is a Lenten discipline. Our diet already includes lots of lentils and beans and we are currently enjoying loads of root vegetables. It is more the sandwiches and snacks that I think will be difficult. Peter is going to have his muesli with apple jiuce instead of milk for breakfast and I will probably make some yoghurt with soya milk to have with apple and linseeds. Since peanut butter is not allowed at school, I will have to be more imaginative about lunches. I was going to suggest that Charlot takes up something for Lent rather than give something up too. More exercise? Swimming? Reading or some sort of study? I will keep an eye on this for any more of your suggestions. Many thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 I find that soya milk gives me a sore-throat - it took me ages to work that out I prefer Rice Milk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 I'm going to give up answering the phone for Lent... sacrifices eh? Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 We had a discussion about giving things up for Lent in our house too, the family suggested I gave up the forum I'm staying conventional, so we've decided to try giving up meat instead, which hopefully won't be too difficult as we don't eat a lot these days anyway. Fish will be allowed and the children may eat whatever they want at school, but there'll be no meat in the house. Roast dinner for us tonight then, along with the pancakes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Good people! My children always suggest giving up homework or vegetables for Lent! I have been to Waitrose now and got some PURE (3 varieties) and some soya yoghurt . I feel really pleased and encouraged by that. Forgot the rice milk though so will have to go back. Being vegan seemed very daunting on Friday when the girls suggested it, but now I think we can do it. Starting tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 I thought I might give up having tonic in my gin! Morag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Good luck Ginnete - do let us know how you get on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Thanks, Mel. The day started well with apple and linseed covered in soya yoghurt. I hope I will be able to make my own yoghurt from it using rice milk (Lesley's suggestion). The rest of the day will be hard as I am out at lunchtime (so snacking on fruit and nuts) and out between 4:30 and 9pm. So probably no meal today - just peanut butter sandwiches! Tomorrow should be more normal and I can let you know how we get on then. OH and I weighed ourselves this morning just to see if anything changes over the next 7 weeks. Although the point of being vegan is not to lose weight, it would be a beneficial side-effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 Just to update our progress: We have completed 8 days now. OH has lost half a stone and I have put on 3 lbs I must be doing something wrong! I have tried to make yoghurt using rice milk and alpro yoghurt which didn't work. So next I tried using real yoghurt and rice milk which I thought would work but it didn't. So now I have to rethink my breakfast or keep buying the alpro yoghurt. I am making LOADS of flapjacks which the children enjoy! I am about to make my own houmous for the first time and I have found some vegan 'pastes' in waitrose - one spicy bean flavour and the other roasted red pepper. Packed lunches are quite tricky because the two in the junior school are not allowed to take nuts or peanut butter. My son is quite fussy and doesn't like houmous or avocado, but he does like the roasted pepper spread. Popcorn is really popular too! 39 days to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 Well done ginette for sticking with it.......................Flapjacks and popcorn may have something to do with the weight increase but i am sure you already know that..............They are just too good to resist.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 Good for you Ginette. I make porridge by soaking the oats over night in water then adding banana before warming it or even just blending in and eating it cold. I'm trying to incorparte more raw food into our diets and although there's been no weight change I do feel better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 That's a good idea Trish. I'll try that. Thanks! Popcorn is not bad at all - I pop it myself and we don't put anything on it so it's quite healthy. I'm going to try to stop eating flapjacks and have more raw vegetables! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
