Lee S
Ive recently tried to cut dairy and beef products out of me and my familys diet. All of the recipes i tried to substitute with soy milk or water have turned out horrible. Can anyone give me any tips this is really stressing my out!!!
The recipes I have tried to substitute are
Aunt Jemima, Vegan Beef by Morninside(to make Fajitas), Jiffy Corn Bread Mix, Yellow Cake Mix, Vegan Meatloaf(using the Mccormick meatloaf Packet). Please give me any tips to help my food taste better or at least so my family will like my new cooking
Answer
I cut meat and dairy from my diet about a year ago.
I think your approach (ie. buying vegan versions of pre-packaged meals) is what is putting you off.
In my experience, anytime a company tries to 'veganize' one of their products, they taste disgusting. What you need to do is try making vegan meals from scratch.
I know that cooking meals from scratch sounds intimidating and time-consuming, but I promise it is easier than you think, and your cooking will taste INFINITELY better than anything you buy from a shop. For example, tonight for dinner I'm doing a vegan shepherd's pie... just substitute some canned lentils instead of beef, add lots of veggies, mashed potato, and ditch the cheese - it's actually quicker and easier than a traditional shepherd's pie, and it tastes great!
Here are a couple of recipe collections I like to use:
http://vegweb.com/index.php?action=recipecategories
http://www.recipesforvegans.co.uk/recipeindex.html
You can also try googling your own dairy/ beef-free recipes, or checking some cookbooks out from the library. Have fun!
I cut meat and dairy from my diet about a year ago.
I think your approach (ie. buying vegan versions of pre-packaged meals) is what is putting you off.
In my experience, anytime a company tries to 'veganize' one of their products, they taste disgusting. What you need to do is try making vegan meals from scratch.
I know that cooking meals from scratch sounds intimidating and time-consuming, but I promise it is easier than you think, and your cooking will taste INFINITELY better than anything you buy from a shop. For example, tonight for dinner I'm doing a vegan shepherd's pie... just substitute some canned lentils instead of beef, add lots of veggies, mashed potato, and ditch the cheese - it's actually quicker and easier than a traditional shepherd's pie, and it tastes great!
Here are a couple of recipe collections I like to use:
http://vegweb.com/index.php?action=recipecategories
http://www.recipesforvegans.co.uk/recipeindex.html
You can also try googling your own dairy/ beef-free recipes, or checking some cookbooks out from the library. Have fun!
lunch ideas for college?
Char Webb
at college i get so bored, i bring the sam old lunches: sandwiches, crisps, a drink, and a chocolate bar. Anyone got any ideas of stuff i could bring to eat at college?
Answer
I would carefully consider your containers and get some insulated pieces. They will help you expand your food choices to keep hot and cold foods safe and yummy. Get double the amount you would carry so that you can have one set in use, and keep one set at home getting cleaned and chilled. Make sure everything is easy to clean and get a baby bottle brush and some white vinegar to help you keep everything fresh. To keep things clean run a sink of hot soapy water, add 2 cups of white vinegar and let your items soak. Then scrub them clean, rinse, and let them air dry.
You can start with 4-6 reusable drink bottles. 2-3 drinks packed per day will keep you away from the vending machines and coffee shops, saving money and allow you to choose healthier options. Add to that 2 insulated soup thermos, and some reusable disposable plastic containers with lids, some zipper bags, and 2 flexible, reusable ice packs...and 2 insulated lunch totes that fit half your gear in each. You can also get a stash of handi-wipes. These are a washable/reusable very sturdy paper towels, meant for household cleaning, but they work great for this, pack damp in a zipper bag to wipe your face. They can be discarded after a few uses. And tuck in a small bottle of hand sanitizer, and some washable plastic silverware.
With better containers you can make use of leftovers, take hot soup or pasta, etc, even a slice of meatloaf or a hunk of roast and mashed potatoes.
As for typical lunch food choices, you can pack fresh veggies...if you like to dip, slice your peppers, scallions, celery, carrots, in sticks and stick them straight up in a container (cut your food to fit that container) that has dip or hummus in the bottom...pull each piece out to find it pre dipped.
If you prefer a salad you eat with a fork, pack some chunked up salad veggies, some chilled pasta, some bottled salad dressing (or herbs and olive oil). Then when you sit down to eat, add a packet of tuna, chicken, a string cheese, or pepperoni, and toss it all together...packing your salad in an oversized container will allow you to add and stir easily.
You could swap out the pasta in the above recipe for chilled barley, rice, lentils, potatoes...or swap out the dressing for chilled marinara sauce.
Instead of chips/crisps you can try pita chips, crackers. They also make veggie poofs that are similar to cheetos. I wonder if you are from UK do you have these or know what I mean. You can also pack plain tortilla chips (instead of the spray painted flavored kind) and carry your own fresh bean dip or salsa. These are healthier and you get better flavor and variety.
For different sandwich options, switch our your bread for bagel, pita, tortilla, flatbread, or skip the bread altogether and pack all your sandwich fillings as a salad.
For drink options, you can buy juice box type containers of lots of things: milk, yoo-hoo chocolate drink, or buy drinkable yogurt or smoothies. You can also use your reusable containers to prepare yourself an iced tea or coffee, a lemonade, or powdered drink.
For dessert...fresh fruits! Grapes, apples, oranges, bananas, pear, peach can all be packed whole...or you can cut and bowl up some berries, melon, kiwi, papaya, mango, pineapple, mandarin oranges.
Other dessert...you can use purchased snack cakes, homemade cookies, make cheesecake cups, make caramel popcorn, make marshmallow treats with cereal, make a chocolate ganache and stuff to dip in it.
You can also freeze certain things. You can freeze pudding cups, yogurt cups, jello cups, and applesauce cups. Pack them frozen, they are cold and refreshing when you sit down to eat. They will help keep everything else cold. You can freeze drink bottles if they aren't all the way full.
I would carefully consider your containers and get some insulated pieces. They will help you expand your food choices to keep hot and cold foods safe and yummy. Get double the amount you would carry so that you can have one set in use, and keep one set at home getting cleaned and chilled. Make sure everything is easy to clean and get a baby bottle brush and some white vinegar to help you keep everything fresh. To keep things clean run a sink of hot soapy water, add 2 cups of white vinegar and let your items soak. Then scrub them clean, rinse, and let them air dry.
You can start with 4-6 reusable drink bottles. 2-3 drinks packed per day will keep you away from the vending machines and coffee shops, saving money and allow you to choose healthier options. Add to that 2 insulated soup thermos, and some reusable disposable plastic containers with lids, some zipper bags, and 2 flexible, reusable ice packs...and 2 insulated lunch totes that fit half your gear in each. You can also get a stash of handi-wipes. These are a washable/reusable very sturdy paper towels, meant for household cleaning, but they work great for this, pack damp in a zipper bag to wipe your face. They can be discarded after a few uses. And tuck in a small bottle of hand sanitizer, and some washable plastic silverware.
With better containers you can make use of leftovers, take hot soup or pasta, etc, even a slice of meatloaf or a hunk of roast and mashed potatoes.
As for typical lunch food choices, you can pack fresh veggies...if you like to dip, slice your peppers, scallions, celery, carrots, in sticks and stick them straight up in a container (cut your food to fit that container) that has dip or hummus in the bottom...pull each piece out to find it pre dipped.
If you prefer a salad you eat with a fork, pack some chunked up salad veggies, some chilled pasta, some bottled salad dressing (or herbs and olive oil). Then when you sit down to eat, add a packet of tuna, chicken, a string cheese, or pepperoni, and toss it all together...packing your salad in an oversized container will allow you to add and stir easily.
You could swap out the pasta in the above recipe for chilled barley, rice, lentils, potatoes...or swap out the dressing for chilled marinara sauce.
Instead of chips/crisps you can try pita chips, crackers. They also make veggie poofs that are similar to cheetos. I wonder if you are from UK do you have these or know what I mean. You can also pack plain tortilla chips (instead of the spray painted flavored kind) and carry your own fresh bean dip or salsa. These are healthier and you get better flavor and variety.
For different sandwich options, switch our your bread for bagel, pita, tortilla, flatbread, or skip the bread altogether and pack all your sandwich fillings as a salad.
For drink options, you can buy juice box type containers of lots of things: milk, yoo-hoo chocolate drink, or buy drinkable yogurt or smoothies. You can also use your reusable containers to prepare yourself an iced tea or coffee, a lemonade, or powdered drink.
For dessert...fresh fruits! Grapes, apples, oranges, bananas, pear, peach can all be packed whole...or you can cut and bowl up some berries, melon, kiwi, papaya, mango, pineapple, mandarin oranges.
Other dessert...you can use purchased snack cakes, homemade cookies, make cheesecake cups, make caramel popcorn, make marshmallow treats with cereal, make a chocolate ganache and stuff to dip in it.
You can also freeze certain things. You can freeze pudding cups, yogurt cups, jello cups, and applesauce cups. Pack them frozen, they are cold and refreshing when you sit down to eat. They will help keep everything else cold. You can freeze drink bottles if they aren't all the way full.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
