coppers Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 DS and I are considering becoming vegans (for a variety of reasons). We are currently researching dietary requirements, recipes, sourcing suitable foods, costs etc,. Are any of you lovely omleteers vegan? If so, do you have any tips or information you could share? Are dietary supplements needed? Thankyou. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 As a long term vegetarian (30+ years) who doesn't really like dairy very much, married to a mostly vegetarian /sometimes pescetarian who won't eat cooked cheese we wander into vegan diet territory from time to time, but have never eaten that way for any sustained length of time because sooner or later I succumb to a cup of tea or an egg ! I eat so little dairy that I'm confident I'm not getting much of my calcium intake from that so it must be from the rest of my diet...I don't take any supplements and I haven't had any problems. I don't believe my diet is deficient in any way, but I always cook from scratch and we do eat a good variety of foods. Although I don't have one at the moment, I am looking to invest in a Pressure Cooker because beans, and grains cook very much more quickly in those which is important after a hard day at the rock face!(office), and will also help me because at the moment (and after all these years) I still often forget to plan ahead and have to make last minute menu changes as a result. In researching the cooker I came across this book which looks to have some good recipes and is mostly vegan so I thought I'd share.... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Vegetarian-Cooking-Under-Pressure/dp/0688123260/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361038380&sr=1-5 It's only the cost of the pressure cooker that's putting me off buying one at the moment... I'm interested to know how you get on.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 I am a long term vegetarian and have toyed with the idea of going vegan several times, but have never taken the plunge (I could never give up eggs now, for one thing, and having a committed carnivore for a husband also makes it tricky). The only things you really need to be aware of supplement wise are vitamin B12 which you CANNOT get from plant sources so you will need to supplement (please don't believe all the rubbish about how B12 is found in certain plant species such as spirulina - it isn't) and omega 3 which you are perhaps already taking already as a vegetarian? Flaxseed oil is an okay source of Omega 3 but Algal oil is better - check out Nuique as a good high strength Omega 3 supplement. Calcium can be found in leafy green veg, but you will need to eat quite a lot to get your RDA so I would suggest calcium fortified milks e.g. soya to top up your calcium intake. There's loads of good vegan recipes out there, try Rose Elliot - she has written loads of veggie cookbooks and also a couple of vegan ones and her recipes are always imaginative and well balanced, and not all from the lentils, brown rice and hemp sandals school of veggie cookery! ETA - Hubby has just read this over my shoulder and said, "Please don't tell me you're going vegan". Poor chap, I have got him all worried now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 IThere's loads of good vegan recipes out there, try Rose Elliot - she has written loads of veggie cookbooks and also a couple of vegan ones and her recipes are always imaginative and well balanced, and not all from the lentils, brown rice and hemp sandals school of veggie cookery! I'd second that about Rose Elliot.....she is the veggie Delia and I doubt I would have remained vegetarian had it not been for her delicious recipes all those years ago "not just a load of old lentils/ the bean book" probably out of print now but still used regularly in all their tatty glory in our house,as well as her many and glorious later offerings including her Christmas Book which I would not be without!....and also I love my ancient copies of "The Moosewood Cookbook" and "The Enchanted Broccoli Forest" both Mollie Katzen and both with a wealth of vegan ideas including lots of things to do with Tofu! Believe me meeting my veggie OH twenty odd years ago who still doesn't eat cooked cheese really made me refine my recipes. ..(and my tip is ...if it calls for cheese on top...and it really needs that extra something (Often you can just get away without the cheese) try a squeeze of lemon for a salty piquancy that saves the day)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppers Posted February 17, 2013 Author Share Posted February 17, 2013 Thankyou everyone for your comments. I already have 'Not Just A Load Of Old Lentils' (which is incredibly tatty ) and will definitely look into the other books mentioned. I will keep you posted. I feel incredibly excited and inspired about the whole thing and have realised that many of our main meals are actually vegan already. DH and YD will continue to eat any eggs we get so that is good. We live just outside of Brighton where there are some brilliant shops to visit for supplies. Heather Mills' vegan cafe is quite nearby too, which we will visit. It is closed for the winter at the moment. Just off to do more research... xxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 I think you may have already come across this site in your research..? Clickety Click - The Vegetarian Resource Group My wife was vegan for years, and to be honest, she never looked quite 'well' if that makes sense..? She is now what is referred to as Setientarian... basically the group of people who will not eat an 'intelligent' animal. This basically means she can get dietary supplements from things like prawns, which has served her much better over the past few years, and means she has a bit of colour. I think it's important to develop a diet that suits you, but it is easily possible to do this without meat, per se. As for eggs..? If they are laid by your own hens, and you know the chickens to be happy and content, I would have no problem eating these as a vegan, and on that point, I think things like veganism should be more eclectic than it currently seems. Humans know what they need, and if you listen to your body (we seem to have lost touch with this ability however)..? you should have no problem with eating what you crave (or similar) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 We live just outside of Brighton where there are some brilliant shops to visit for supplies. Heather Mills' vegan cafe is quite nearby too, which we will visit. It is closed for the winter at the moment. Just off to do more research... xxxx If you are just outside Brighton then you are already in Veggie Heaven Restaurant Wise...We are in Chichester and for years have been making the trip over to celebrate birthdays at Terre a Terre http://www.terreaterre.co.uk/..well worth the ££ (you get a choice you don't just have to say "I'll have the food" like you usually do in non-veggie places and it is sublime) also at the less pricey end of the scale we love the very reasonable priced food here http://www.iydea.co.uk/Iydea_Vegetarian_Restaurant/Welcome.html Haven't yet tried this http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186273-d733770-Reviews-Wai_Kika_Moo_Kau-Brighton_East_Sussex_England.html but it's practically opposite Iydea and was busy the day that we were there... Do let us know how you get on...I'm almost tempted to join you except OH is pulling this face Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
